Rhyme and Reason
by OriginalAlcy
Summary: Detectives Willow Rosenberg and Buffy Summers are called to the site of a bizarre homicide. It is a crime that leads a skeptical Willow to a magic store for answers and a confrontation with a strange, blonde Wiccan. As she is drawn deeper into a world she never believed existed, she discovers that magic is very real…in more ways than one. Willow/Tara AU with some canon elements.
1. Making Nonsense

**CHAPTER ONE  
Making nonsense**

Sunlight streamed through broken shutters on windows mounted high on the walls. It illuminated the dust in its path, swirling around in small gusts as though it were dancing. The morning light almost made the abandoned warehouse a pleasant place to be...and yet on this morning more than any other, it was definitely not.

The roller-door at one end was slightly open and a small blonde woman rolled easily through the gap. She sprang lightly to her feet and casually brushed her trouser legs as her eyes became adjusted to the light. The petite blonde wore a smart yet practical suit that indicated that she meant business. There were several street and plainclothes cops in the building already. She strolled towards them, hailing the nearest.

"What have we got, Marty?" Buffy Summers ducked beneath the police tape strung between two pillars, she swiped her long blond hair out of her face as she straightened back to her rather small height.

"Got a nice one for you today, Detective Summers," Marty said as he ushered Buffy towards the centre of the warehouse.

As Buffy followed she turned back over her shoulder to see another person squeezing their way beneath the propped up roller-door.

"Hey, Will! Detective fat-arse! Hurry up!" Buffy yelled back over her shoulder to where her partner was still wedged under the door.

"I'm stuck!" the red head protested.

She wrenched herself through the gap and was rewarded with the sound of torn fabric as her jacket sleeve sagged on a jagged piece of iron.

Willow Rosenberg stood and wrinkled her nose as she examined the damage to her favourite suit. She was still looking glumly at the tear as she joined Buffy to stroll across the open concrete space side by side. The red headed young woman was the taller of the two, just as lithe and trim in her own smart suit - smart even with the tear. Her green eyes surveyed the seen keenly, not missing a single detail as they walked along. She drew out a small electronic pad and began taking notes.

"Marty," Buffy looked at the paunch on the officer who was leading them. "How the hell did you squeeze beneath that door?"

"Didn't," he replied with a grin and pointed to an open door at the other end of the warehouse.

Buffy laughed and Willow rolled her eyes as she fingered the tear in her jacket. As they approached, the other officers turned to stare at the two beautiful women joining their midst. Both Buffy and Willow ignored the grins on some of their faces as they went into work mode.

"Well, there you go," Marty stopped and stood to one side so the pair could survey the scene in front of them.

Near the centre of the dusty, stained concrete floor were two large circular designs drawn in multicoloured chalk…as though there were an evil kindergarten child on the loose. There were weird symbols drawn around the perimeter of the design, strange letter-like shapes that meant absolutely nothing to Buffy or Willow. What did mean something to them were the two bodies, one in the centre of each of the circles.

Willow knelt at the very edge of the nearest circle, cocking her head to one side as she studied the body. It was a short, fat man with a balding head. He wore a plain black robe that looked suspiciously like something purchased from a costume shop. The short, bloody knife lying in his outstretched hand however was not a toy. A pool of now congealed blood had spread out around him.

"An evil Friar Tuck?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows, walking around the edge until she reached the second circle.

The second body lying in its own pool of blood was that of a young man. A boy really, possibly no more than sixteen or seventeen. A handsome young fellow, his black hair still carefully mussed and held in place with liberal amounts of hair wax. He was wearing a letter jacket, now stained with blood from the mortal wound in his stomach. Lifeless brown eyes stared up at the unfeeling ceiling above him.

Buffy sighed. "Poor guy…what d'ya think, Will? It looks for all the money as though Friar Tuck stabbed our young jock here and then killed himself," she stood again, her eyes narrowed as she concentrated on the chalk symbols. "In some wacky sort of…cult…witchy ritual…maybe he thought he was summoning up some ancient evil?"

"More evil? As if this city isn't bad enough already," Willow commented sadly, walking over to join Buffy. "And I wouldn't be placing your bets yet Buff...things are never what they seem in this job."

The pair of them looked down at the body of the boy, both feeling the weight of their chosen occupation bearing down on their young shoulders. Both Buffy and Willow were twenty-five, young for the job of detective but they had proved their worth in investigation after investigation. Fellow detectives often remarked on their uncanny ability to uncover the clues that others missed, solving crimes and saving lives where everyone else had given up hope.

"Good thing the city has us then. Right, Detective Rosenberg?" Buffy patted Willow's shoulder.

"Get down off your bandwagon and do some work, Detective Summers," Willow replied, hunkering down as she noticed something strange.

Just inside the chalk circle was another circle of some strange, black, sticky substance. Willow drew out a pen from her pocket and poked at it delicately. She scooped up a blob and examined it at eye level.

"Don't taste it!" Buffy said urgently.

Willow looked over her shoulder, giving Buffy her best 'do you think I'm a complete moron?' look. "Why on earth would I do that? You're the one that always sticks strange things in her mouth!"

"I do not," Buffy spluttered.

"Ah Buff…remember the talcum powder incident?"

"Do some work Willow," Buffy muttered as she went away to talk to the other cops at the scene.

Willow nodded with a resolute smile as she drew out a paper notebook and started copying down the strange symbols. As she did she realised that there was one symbol which kept repeating throughout the writing. It was like a Greek letter, only far more complex. Willow was beginning to think that she had missed a few things out of her double degree with double majors. If there was one thing Willow hated, it was not knowing the answer to something.

"Another day on the job," Willow's brow furrowed in bewilderment as she stared at the strange writing.

* * *

Buffy pushed open the door with Det. Willow Rosenberg stencilled on the glass without pausing to knock. Willow was hunched over the phone book as Buffy came to stand next to her, taking a huge bite of the cream-filled donut in her hand.

"What have you got there, Will?" Buffy lent her chin on her partner's shoulder, and read the ad in the yellow pages Willow had circled. "_The Magic Box, your one stop shop_…what a terrible ad!" she straightened and looked Willow in the eye. "A magic shop? Willow, honestly, what on earth do you expect to find there besides tacky ceramic unicorns and love candles?"

Donut crumbs fell over the page and Willow looked up sharply at Buffy. The blonde looked slightly abashed and she made an obvious attempt to chew with her mouth closed.

Willow leafed through the papers scattered on her desk until she came up the symbols she had copied down from the crime scene, she tapped the page absently. "Yeah I know it's kind of corny…but I looked up some websites on witchcraft" she pointed to the screen of her laptop. "Symbols like these are often used as part of incantations…spells I guess you would call them…"

"They actually have websites for that sort of thing?" Buffy rolled her eyes and took another bite of donut, already forgetting to chew with her mouth closed. "Earth to Rosenberg…incantations…spells? So you're trying to tell me that our guy was performing some sort of wacky…ritual thingee with the victim…and himself?"

"Pretty much…" Willow shrugged. "I figured that if I could find out what the symbols meant then we might be able to figure out what happened."

"Hence getting some spooky old crone at a magic shop to look at them?" Buffy snorted. "Tell you what Will, I'll go to the lab to check on the results of the unidentified sticky substance found with the body and you go and…commune with some nut job in a magic store…maybe she could pull out her crystal ball and tell us exactly who did it! Would save us a hell of a lot of time."

"It's probably silly…" Willow said. She was beginning to think this was not such a good idea after all.

"Oh no Will, you're not getting out of it that easily…it was your idea so go, just bring me back some frog's legs okay?" Buffy giggled and left Willow to jot down the address of the Magic Box.

* * *

Willow ran her fingers over the table as she walked, sliding skin across the smooth, clean wood. Her keen eyes missed nothing as she looked at the strange paraphernalia around her…strange jars full of unknown substances. Willow picked up one full of some sort of dried plant, it appeared harmless enough. The next jar looked to be full of tiny little pickles, until Willow held it up for closer inspection to reveal it was actually full of little eyeballs. Twisting the jar slightly she saw a hand written label.

"Newt eyes," Willow read, she smirked and set the jar back in its place. "I suppose I'll find the frogs legs next…"

"N-next table along…r-right beside the dried bat's droppings…t-they're very good for curses…of the less complex variety mind you, giving people warts and the like."

Willow laughed softly and turned to see who had spoken up behind her. "You know, there are a few people I wouldn't mind-"

She stopped in her tracks when she came face to face with the most gorgeous young woman she had ever seen. Long blonde hair framed a pale, high-cheekboned face with a pair of the most gorgeous, sapphire coloured eyes Willow had ever seen. For a good many seconds all Willow could do was stare with her mouth open, a small amount of drool beginning to form at the corner. The blue eyed beauty stared right back at Willow until she had to duck her head, obviously uncomfortable beneath such intense scrutiny. Willow finally realised she was ogling and quickly fumbled for the piece of paper folded in her jacket pocket. With a slightly shaking hand she held it out to the young woman.

"I'm Detective Rosenberg," Willow flashed her badge quickly. "I was wondering if you could possibly help me? Can you tell me what this means?"

The blonde lifted her gaze to meet Willow's and she smiled slightly, a sort of lop-sided grin that Willow found absolutely enchanting…leading to more drool.

"O-okay," she replied in a soft, musical voice.

She reached out and took the paper from Willow's hand. Willow snatched her hand away much too fast just in case their hands might possibly touch. Then once the page was in the blonde's hands she instantly regretted it and had to settle for imagining just how soft her skin was.

The blonde had only studied the paper for a few seconds when she looked up and pointed to the symbol found next to Friar Tuck, "T-this one…i-it usually denotes opening…"

"Like a jar or something?" Willow asked and then immediately felt like a moron.

"Um…no," she replied tactfully, "More like a gate between d-dimensions…and I-I'm not sure about this other one but it seems like it should be familiar…if you'll just follow me…"

_Gate…between dimensions? _Willow was beginning to think she was going to get a lot more than she bargaining for on this case.

She led Willow to the counter and walked behind it to a locked cabinet. Willow came to a stop in front of the counter and lent both her elbows on it. With the blonde's back turned as she opened the cabinet, Willow had a view of her shapely bottom and she made the most of it before she turned back around. She was a little disappointed the young woman wore a long flowing skirt when she would have looked gorgeous in a pair of tight jeans…Willow quickly looked back to her face when she turned around again with a small book in her hands, it was an even better view anyway. Those lips, slightly parted in concentration…Willow predictably began to imagine how they would feel beneath her own…

She had to look away before she started to pant embarrassingly. Looking beside her she found a half unpacked box of candles. She picked one up to see 'Love' written in guilt script on the label. She sniffed at it and her nostrils were assaulted with a horrible, cloyingly sweet scent.

"A love candle?" Willow asked scornfully. "People can't seriously buy this and expect it to work can they?"

The young woman looked up from the pages of her book. "I-it will if you believe in it enough."

"Well, have you ever burnt one and had Mr Right show up?"

She looked at Willow with a slight frown on her gentle features before turning her attention back to the book.

_Obviously not!_ Willow almost snickered out loud and tossed the candle back in the box.

Willow watched the blonde as she flicked through the pages of a book before obviously deciding it was not the right one. She placed it carefully back in its slot on the cabinet and selected another. This time she browsed it with her face half-turned to Willow. The red head stared at the smooth, pale skin and full lips, still slightly parted in concentration. Willow was mesmerised.

"B-banishment," she said suddenly and set the book carefully on the counter-top. "The symbol is for banishing."

"Bad stuff?" Willow asked, studying the picture. "Like zits?"

She laughed lightly. It was the most beautiful sound Willow had ever heard.

"Um…no, more like um…more…people-like stuff, people…b-but are you sure it was facing the circle this way, you didn't copy it down wrong or something?"

Willow looked suitably insulted. "I most certainly did not!"

"W-well, the s-s-symbol up this way…it completely nullifies the spell. L-like a banishing spell…"

"That doesn't banish anything?" Willow finished.

"P-precisely," she nodded and handed Willow both the book and her slip of paper. "Um you can borrow the book…if you promise to take care of it."

"I promise not to stand coffee cups on it, or dog-ear the pages," Willow accepted the book with a smile.

"Was there anything else I could help you with, frogs legs perhaps?" she asked, her lips twitching as though she wanted to smile again.

_Smile…please!_ Willow shifted on her feet awkwardly, gulping in desperate, much needed air. "When do you shut up shop?"

"Ah, five-thirty," she replied with a frown instead of a smile.

"Great…I mean…well, I know we move in…different circles, but would you like to come out and have a drink with me when you close up this place?"

"I-I really don't think so…" she looked decidedly uncomfortable, as though she wanted to sink through the floor.

"Aw c'mon…just one drink?" Willow pleaded, using all of her woman-winning charm.

"I don't drink," she replied abruptly, turning her back on Willow to lock the cabinet.

"Well, a cup of…herbal tea or some…stuff like that?" Willow stopped and bit her lip._ Really smooth Rosenberg…you're one smooth talker!_

"No…" the cabinet was locked and yet she would not turn back to face Willow again.

"Hey, did I sense reluctance there?" Willow asked brightly. "Because I'm really a nice person. I mean, despite the fact that I ask complete strangers out for drinks. I can hold a very entertaining conversation and I don't babble…okay, that was a lie, I babble but I promise to let you get a word in. If you'll just agree to join me?"

Willow stared with an expression resembling that of a puppy waiting for its supper, not wanting to say another word lest she dig an even larger hole for herself. The blonde finally turned around and Willow watched as a strange expression passed over the young woman's face. It was as though she had spent the last few minutes trying to guess where she knew Willow from and all of a sudden it had finally dawned on her. It was an expression of familiarity, her gaze softened for a split second…just for the tiniest fraction of time. As Willow's lips parted in amazement she felt something strange coursing through her body. It was an energy she could not even begin to describe. Whatever it was, it was the most wonderful feeling in the world - as though she had…

The moment was interrupted by the little bell above the door jingling lightly. Both women spun around to see a small girl enter the shop. Her blonde hair was done in twin braids that peeked from beneath a battered baseball cap. Beneath the visor two huge blue eyes stared at the scene in front of her, blue just like the woman standing in front of her. _Her sister perhaps?_ Willow mused.

"Hey, Mom," she grinned, shrugging her backpack off her small shoulders and dumping it by the counter.

Willow's face fell, _Or not._

"Hey, sweetie," the woman replied, reaching down for a warm hug.

When the small girl extracted herself from her mother's arms, she turned to look at up at the stranger who had been talking with her mother.

"Who are you?" she asked curiously, her voice was politely inquisitive rather than rude.

Willow grinned and hunkered down a little, holding out her hand for the little girl to shake. She did so with a very firm and confident grip

"My name's Willow. I'm a detective and your Mom was just helping me out."

"I'm Ashley," the little girl introduced herself and then in a completely serious voice. "Can I see some identification please?"

"You most certainly can," Willow reached inside her jacket pocket and drew it out, flipping it open with a flourish.

Her face lost all trace of seriousness and her eyes sparkled with excitement, "Cool!"

"Ash, sweetie," her mother laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Run upstairs and get yourself some milk and cookies okay?"

"But afternoon tea isn't until my chores are done…and I haven't-"

"Ashley Maclay," her mother's voice carried a soft warning tone.

"Sure, Mom," Ashley grabbed her bag and headed for the stairs at the back of the shop, she paused halfway and turned with a big grin on her face. "See ya, Officer Willow!"

Willow couldn't restrain a grin as the little girl bolted up the stairs; she then looked back to the older blonde to find her face somewhat stormy. Her blue eyes were so like her daughter's, except they were not sparkling at all - only to the extent that steel sparkled. Willow wished she could make her smile again.

"Now, Officer Rosenberg…is there anything else I can do for you or are you quite finished?" she asked coolly.

"It's Detective-" Willow started to explain before she realised that the young woman had her arms folded and a stern expression on her face as though she would brook no more of Willow's nonsense. "Oh, I'm finished," Willow replied quickly. "All with the finished here because I asked you…and you helped so yes…all done, and that means you want me to leave right?"

"Yes please."

The speed at which she responded told Willow that she was going to have no further luck today. The little girl's father was most probably at work…or maybe he was even upstairs and if he came down to find a strange lesbian hitting on his wife. Willow thought she had better make herself scarce.

"Well, thank you for your help…um, Ms Maclay."

Willow bolted out the door, not even glancing back despite wanting to more than anything in the world.

* * *

Buffy plonked herself unceremoniously down on Willow's desk. In one hand she carried a box full of donuts and in the other was a half eaten one. Her butt covered the papers Willow had been so carefully studying.

"So?" she asked, taking a huge bite of her donut.

Willow looked up in annoyance. "I thought you said no more donuts?"

"I said no more jelly n' cream donuts, this is a plain, ordinary-"

"Sugar encrusted, fat-filled…should I continue?" Willow tried in vain to pull her papers out from beneath Buffy. She just ended up tearing the corner of one before she gave up in exasperation. "Honestly Buffy, one of these days all the donuts you eat are going to go straight to your arse."

"Want one?" Buffy held out the box.

"Sure," Willow chose a chocolate coated one and took a savage bite.

"So, did you find anything at the hocus pocus store?"

Willow took another bite and continued with her mouth full of fatty goodness. "As a matter of fact, the woman was very helpful. I found out some interesting things about our symbols…meanings for instance."

"Was she all mystic, spooky or wrinkled? All of the above?" Buffy asked, fishing out her second donut.

"Mystic?" Willow frowned, there had definitely been something about the blonde that was mysterious, "I guess so. Spooky, no. Wrinkled, no. She was young…around our age I think, maybe a little older but definitely young." _And hot! Oh god was she hot._

Buffy's eyes narrowed as she saw an all too familiar look on Willow's face.

"Will?" she asked in a suspicious tone.

A debate raged in Willow's head as to whether or not she should confess. It did not take long before she decided that no prodding was needed. Buffy had ways of making her talk, mostly involving threatening to post juicy secrets about Willow on the precinct's intranet.

"She was my type Buffy…well, almost anyway, but I think I'll make her my new type."

"Will, you don't have a type, you go for anything with two legs and boobs," Buffy snickered at the indignant look on Willow's face. "Sorry Will…you mean she was young, incredibly cute and…." Buffy raised her eyebrows questioningly.

"Yeah," Willow replied. "She was married…or at least I'm pretty sure she was…though I can't actually remember seeing a wedding ring."

"How do you always do it?" Buffy slammed the donuts down on the desk beside her, a chocolate one jumped out and landed on Willow's palm pilot. "You always get the married ones! Only…Will, you don't look happy enough for someone who has a date on Saturday night?"

"She turned me down, Buffy," Willow was trying to scrape chocolate from the screen of the small electronic device.

Buffy swiped the little device away from her partner and licked the offending chocolate off, handing it back to Willow with a grin. "Willow Rosenberg, lesbian lover extraordinaire got rejected! Obviously she wasn't aware of your reputation…or maybe she was and that's your whole problem!"

"Buffy!"

Buffy stood up and ran to the door of Willow's office. Her voice sounded out down the corridor. "Okay everyone, listen up! I have an important announcement to make! Willow was actually rejected!"

There were various catcalls and comments issuing from surrounding offices as Willow went beetroot red and buried her face in her arms.

"Cheer up, Will," Buffy patted her on the back. "There's plenty of other cute women out there for you to shag."

"I didn't want to shag her, Buffy," Willow replied glumly as she looked up, her fingers reaching out to touch the book the young woman had lent her.

Buffy paused her chewing and exclaimed incredulously, "You didn't? What the hell did you want from her then?"

Willow sighed. "Her name…I just wanted to know her name."


	2. Violets are Blue

**CHAPTER TWO  
Violets are Blue**

Willow looked down at the pathetic little plant in a shiny green pot as she stood outside the door of the magic store. She felt like an idiot. What on earth had possessed her to buy a plant? She held it up to eye level and inspected it critically. It was squat - the leaves were fluffy and several small flowers winked up at her. Willow had no idea what it was as she had picked it off the shelf at the supermarket on impulse as the flowers were a beautiful deep shade of purple.

Her hand went to the knob, about to turn it before she suddenly drew it back again. Willow sighed - despite Buffy telling her there was plenty more fish in the sea there was just one she wanted wriggling on the end of her hook. However, for the first time it was the other way around. Willow was the one well and truly caught, unable to escape even if she wanted to try.

_I never thought this day would come. Willow Rosenberg afraid to open a door. There's not even a murder suspect or other vicious criminal lurking behind it…just a blonde._

"I should've brought chocolates," Willow muttered as she went to open the door once more.

She drew in a deep breath and opened the door slowly, the bell above the door jangled rendering her stealthy entrance completely redundant.

"We're closed," A dark-haired young woman standing behind the counter announced in a loud, brusque voice.

Willow stopped dead in her tracks, there was definitely something in that voice that meant business.

"Um, I know…I was just wondering if I might be able to speak with…well, I don't actually know her name - the blonde woman who works here?" Willow risked taking a few steps closer.

"She's not here." The young woman went back to sharpening an...axe. Willow hoped it was for display purposes only and not unwelcome guests.

"Well, do you know when she's going to be back?" Willow asked timidly.

"No, and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you. Who the hell are you anyway?" she placed the axe on the counter with a steely thunk and walked around the counter with her hands on her hips.

Willow's lips tightened as she finally stopped worrying about being hacked open by an axe wielding woman. She wasn't a spineless teenager but rather a bad arse dyke with a badge who could be just as brusque.

"I'm Willow. Who are you?"

"I'm Faith. I live here," she replied calmly.

In several long strides she was standing directly in front of Willow. She was gorgeous – in a brash kind of way. Her full lips were stained with some outrageously deep shade of red lipstick. Willow's eyes flicked over the woman's body. Her breasts were straining against a tight tank top and leather pants hugged her muscular legs. Yesterday morning Willow would have been drooling - now she was unable to think of anyone but the blue-eyed blonde.

Faith was smirking. She had seen Willow check her out and was surprised by the resulting lack of interest. Far from being insulted, Faith was impressed. She stepped even closer, completely invading Willow's space. Willow was reduced to being spineless once more.

Willow blinked and managed to squeak. "You live here?"

"That's what I said isn't it?"

"You live here…with…her?" Willow felt her heart stop beating for a few seconds, _Chill Rosenberg…she's probably just a roommate…or maybe she's her lover? Oh god I hope she's just a roommate because there's no way I can compete with that._ Willow's eyes drifted back to the other woman's breasts for just a second and she felt somewhat inadequate. _Nor can I compete with those...exceptionally lush bosoms..._

Faith watched the play of emotions across the red head's face and her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Are you on drugs or something, Red?"

"What…no, of course I'm not!" Willow replied indignantly, gritting her teeth at being called 'Red.' No one had dared call her Red since childhood. She disliked it intently, and those children that had tried had soon learned the hard way not to call her that. Willow had never been anything but the slight figure she still cut, but she could kick shins like she was born to it.

"Well? Like I said, T's not here. Is there anything I can do to convince you to leave?"

_T?_ Willow frowned. A_s in Mr T or as in her name starts with a T?_

"Ah, Red? Earth to Red?"

Willow felt her cheeks grow warm. "Um, can you just tell her…no don't bother, just give her this," Willow quickly shoved the little plant into Faith's hands before, for the second time in two days, making a quick exit from the Magic Box.

* * *

Willow was almost thrown backwards as Buffy delivered a flying spin kick to the punching bag she was holding steady for her. Buffy followed up with a series of short jabs, pummelling the poor thing into complete submission as she worked up a lather of sweat. Willow was exhausted just looking at the Buffy the ball of ballistic energy. With a last jump kick that did knock Willow to the mat, Buffy stepped back and grinned.

"Whew, that's my tension out. Your turn, Will," Buffy reached out her gloved hand to help Willow up.

Willow strapped her own gloves on and assumed her stance in front of the bag. She jabbed half-heartedly and Buffy looked at her in disgust.

"What the hell is up with you today? Or for that matter, what the hell has been up with you for the past two days?"

Willow circled the bag, bouncing slightly on her toes as she tried to work up a little enthusiasm for her work out. She stopped bouncing with an exasperated sigh.

"I can't believe the lab results for that substance came back unidentifiable. I mean, save for a bunch of chemical compounds that don't mean squat to anyone without a PhD," Willow was extremely annoyed despite the fact that it meant her approach to finding information had worked more successfully. "At times like these I really start to wonder why I've put all my faith into science and technology."

"Why am I not convinced that that is the sole reason for you having your undies in a twist?" Buffy commented dryly. "Now give this bag hell, you know you want to!"

Willow launched herself into a flurry of punches, but there was little determination or force behind any of them. Whenever she felt as though she were settling into a rhythm she saw a pair of blue eyes flash across her vision and she lost concentration once more.

"I just don't understand," Willow said miserably, stabbing the bag twice with her right fist before letting her arms fall limply to her sides.

"Understand what?" Buffy asked on cue.

"Women," Willow replied, punctuating her word with a dull thud of fist against bag.

"Ah, Will." Buffy raised her eyebrows. "If anyone understands women it's you. I mean, all the guys around here ask you for dating advice! I don't think you mean women at all. II think you mean woman…singular, just one, and that certain one would work in a hocus pocus store if I am not mistaken."

Willow raised her gloved hands in the air in a sign of frustration.

"Why can't I get her out of my head? I mean, for all intents and purposes I damn well should be able to! Firstly, she hates my guts, secondly, she's either married or shagging a skanky, leather-clad axe-wielding psycho who could beat me into a pulp in seconds and thirdly, gorgeous women who I know for a fact want me, are just a text message away."

Buffy frowned. "Skanky, axe-wielding psycho? Do I even want to ask?"

"No." Willow shook her head quickly. She let her gloves fall altogether. "Buffy, I don't think I'm quite myself."

"Cos you're in luuuurve!" Buffy sang out happily. "Lick 'em and leave 'em Rosenberg is in love!"

Willow glared at Buffy, annoyed that she would even suggest such a thing. If there was one thing about her reputation that she had to keep intact, it was the fact that she didn't go for any of that love crap.

"Take that back Buffy. Anyway, you're dead wrong. I'm not the type to fall in love, I don't have the patience for it."

Buffy however was having too much fun to listen to any more of Willow's reasoning, she continued to taunt in a juvenile sing-sing manner. "You want to hug her, you want to kiss her, you want to love and touch her…"

"Buffy, shut up!" Willow slammed her fist into the punching bag, narrowly missing Buffy's grinning mug.

"You're just all uptight 'cos you're not as cute and sexy as you always thought!"

Willow slammed her gloved fist into Buffy's face and the short blonde stumbled backwards away from the bag, clutching her nose. She looked a little stunned and surprised before raising her own gloves in an attacking stance. Willow moved around the bag and out onto the training mats to stand in front of Buffy, she raised her gloves.

"C'mon, Will, you know who's gonna win," Buffy circled teasingly.

The fight was short and furious. Willow's temper dictated the way she fought, throwing wild punches that Buffy could see coming a mile away. The blonde ducked and weaved easily, every so often delivering a sharp jab to Willow's jaw or stomach that succeeded in making her even more determined. Following a particular ill-timed punch, Buffy caught Willow off balance and in one swift movement kicked her legs out from beneath her.

Willow landed on her back with a dull thud. She didn't even have time to move before Buffy was sitting astride her prone form, straddling her stomach in a compromising manner. Buffy lent forward, her hands on either side of Willow's head. She grinned down at her defeated partner.

"Well?" Buffy asked with raised eyebrows.

"I concede," Willow admitted reluctantly.

"You concede what? That you're in love with her?"

"What? No!"

"Do you need another round of arse kicking?"

Willow sighed. "I don't know…I mean…I…like her…a lot," each word sounded distinctly forced.

"See, that wasn't so hard to admit," Buffy climbed off Willow and yanked a glove off in order to help the red head to her feet. "You okay?"

Willow flexed her jaw experimentally. "Yeah, I'll live."

"So," Buffy said as they began walking towards the locker room. "When are you going to make your next move?"

"I already did," Willow replied glumly, tugging off a glove and tucking it beneath her arm as she went to work on the laces of the other. "Last night."

Buffy clapped awkwardly with one of her gloves still on. "Well?"

"Not well at all, she wasn't there and instead I meet her roommate-slash-butch lover-slash-scary axe wielding psychopath."

Willow sat heavily on a bench in the locker room and threw her gloves at her feet. She began unwinding the strapping around her knuckles. Her knuckles were red and swollen despite all the padding.

"Ouch!" Buffy sat next to her. "But you took her a box of chocolates right? Maybe a nice big bunch of roses, something tastefully overdone…true Willow-style?"

Willow shook her head, "Nope, I took her a ninety-nine cent plant from the supermarket."

How could she explain to Buffy how, from their brief conversation, she had decided that the young woman would prefer the tiny, cheap plant to a fifty dollar bunch of arranged flowers?

"You've really got it bad," Buffy wrinkled her nose.

"I'm going to hit the showers," Willow waved her friend off, grabbing her towel as she stood up.

"Should've given her chocolates," Buffy grabbed her own towel and ran after Willow.

* * *

It was barely after nine in the morning and yet already the Magic Box had its first satisfied customer for the day. A young man looking for a birthday present for his mother. Tara Maclay placed the carefully wrapped package into a gift bag and passed it over the counter to the young man,

"I hope your mother enjoys it," she said warmly, her generous smile making him blush in reply.

As the shop door closed behind him, Faith scooted across the floor to Tara's side, lightly banging their hips together.

"Oh, almost forgot, a chick stopped by for you last night while you were at your parent-teacher meeting," Faith said casually.

"A girl? For me?" Tara blinked and looked at the brunette in surprise. "What did she want?"

"Kisses and lesbian lovin' most likely. I don't know really…left you this though," Faith pushed the little potted plant across the counter top.

Tara looked down at the African violet. There was even a purple ribbon tied around the pot. She stared at it in complete bewilderment.

"Um, who was it…did she leave a name?" Tara asked quietly, gently running her finger over a furry little leaf.

"Yeah, Willow…not sure if that was her real name though. Red hair, green eyes, about this high…and she was kinda weird. Have you been seeing someone that I don't know about, T?" Faith asked suspiciously. "Because she hardly gave me a second glance and I'm one hot mama."

"You're not that hot," Tara commented as she finished logging the sale in her ledger,

"Ah! So you're not denying it!"

"No!…I mean, yes!" Tara paused before shaking her head vigorously. "I am most definitely not seeing that woman. I only just met her yesterday. She's a police officer…or rather a detective…but that's beside the point, she was rude and arrogant."

"And hot!" Faith laughed.

"I'm really not interested in her, Faith!"

"Chick, you haven't been thoroughly swept off your feet by anyone since…well, you haven't been swept of your feet period but what about a good old-fashioned fuck?"

"I think you get enough of that for the both of us," Tara replied with a smirk.

"T!" Faith slapped Tara's hand playfully before nodding in a conceding manner. "Granted yes but what's wrong with enjoying life? You need to get out and get some of your own. There hasn't been anyone in your bed since that psychology student you picked up at one of your witchy Wiccan meetings and did that even last a whole week?"

"Two weeks," Tara muttered.

"She was a sweet girl and from what I heard she was pretty good in bed too," Faith winked.

Tara glared and Faith raised her hands in surrender. "Whoa, don't go all bad arse Wicca on me. I'm just saying you have needs just the same as me, well, maybe not exactly the same but that is beside the point. There's more to life than work."

"Yes there is. I've got Ashley-" Tara began.

Faith had heard the speech too many times and she wasn't going to listen to it again, "Fucking hell! Stop using your daughter as excuse, T! Ash knows you're gay and she's not going to freak out if you start dating someone. She didn't last time. That was just you freaking out thinking that she was freaking out. She knows you're not happy, kids pick up these things."

"I am happy."

"You're not! Ash and I love you to pieces and we can tell. If you don't go out and at least get laid soon then I'm going to put an ad on a dating site for you!"

"You wouldn't dare!" Tara narrowed her eyebrows threateningly.

"Hey, are you forgetting who I am?" Faith stepped back and flexed her arms. "Super-strength Slayer chick here!"

"I'll turn you into a toad!" Tara snapped back.

Faith cocked her head to one side and smirked, "We both know you would never do anything like that. I've got your ad all planned out in my head as well, 'Lusty blue eyed blonde with great tits seeking a sexy woman for steamy, all-night sex' And I'll use that photo of you…y'know the one…dancing in front of your mirror with the door open…naked."

Tara went beet red when she remembered her less than stellar rendition of "Hey Mama" in what she thought had been complete privacy. "The door was shut! You opened it! And you refused to relinquish the photo for destruction!"

"You bet I did! You'll have so many responses you won't which one to pick!" Faith did a little dance of her own, eyes twinkling.

"Please don't, Faith." Tara was serious this time.

"I'm just kidding T, lighten up a little…see, you're too serious," Faith reached out and made a honking sound as she pressed her finger to Tara's nose. "Don't worry, you're one hot, sexy chick – the red head will be back."

"Goddess, I hope not!"

The door bell chimed and both girls looked up to see a tall older man with glasses enter the store.

"Giles," Tara breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oy, Giles, you're here just in time to tell Tara to go and get laid!" Faith whooped.

"I will do no such thing," he retorted swiftly as he approached the counter.

"Can you at least tell her to get a date?" Faith pleaded.

"That I can do," Giles turned to Tara. "Get a date…for all our sakes please."

Tara's mouth fell open in disbelief, she had expected Giles to defend her. Instead he was joining in on the 'make fun of Tara' game.

"I haven't been that miserable!" Tara protested and was answered with 'looks' from both of them saying otherwise.

There was a sudden commotion from the stairs as small feet thundered down at a gallop. Ashley raced across the floor to throw herself into Giles' arms with a happy squeal.

He laughed and swung her around. "How's my favourite goddaughter?"

"Missed you! Did you bring me back a present?" she asked as he settled her onto her hip.

"Ash," Tara said in a low voice.

Ashley looked slightly guilty. "Um, did you have fun in England?"

"Not so much…too much work and not enough play."

"Well, you can play with me now you're back!" Ashley announced happily. "Mom's too busy and Faith is always out."

"I am not!" both Faith and Tara replied in unison.

Ashley giggled.

"You're going on a date?" Giles asked Tara as he set Ashley back on the floor.

"Not yet, but she will soon," Faith grinned.

Ashley looked up at her mother and asked quite innocently. "Are you going on a date with Officer Willow, Mom?"

Tara looked at each of the three pairs of eyes fixed on her, feeling the weight of each. She spied Giles' briefcase sitting on the floor at his feet.

"Have you got our tax forms? I'll go and start on them right away!" Tara grabbed the bag and retreated to her office at the rear of the store.

"Mom likes Officer Willow," Ashley announced with a firm nod.

Faith put an arm around Ashley's shoulders and pulled the small girl close. "That's my girl."

* * *

Tara closed the door of the office behind her and collapsed gratefully into her chair at the desk. The bag with the tax forms was thrown unceremoniously to the ground. There was nothing Tara hated doing more than tax forms. She looked at the plant that she still held in her other hand. Tara lifted it up and stared at it while she reflected on the red head's short but memorable visit to the Magic Box. She remembered the way she had felt with Willow. She had not been entirely sure what was happening between them and yet something about it felt very familiar. Almost as though she could have said yes to Willow's proposal because she already knew her.

She sighed, Faith was right. There hadn't been anyone since Jo and that short relationship with the psychology student had ended over a year ago. Since then she had thrown herself into every facet of the running of the Magic Box. A few months ago, Giles had made her an offer to buy a half share in the shop. He had obviously undervalued the Magic Box's worth so she could actually afford it. He would not take no for an answer, nor would he let her raise his asking price to something that resembled market value.

After coming to the city pregnant and with virtually nothing except the clothes on her back she now found herself at a point in her life where she could actually say she had accomplished something. At the age of twenty-six she was paying off a loan that would give her a half share in a successful business that she loved. This was before she even thought about her greatest gift of all - three feet and eight inches of pure, bubbling energy that went by the name of Ashley. Her daughter was precious - despite the fact that she, Faith and Giles were all equally responsible for spoiling the bright girl silly. Ashley was her responsibility first and foremost. She had to keep her daughter safe. That meant no time for dating a female detective who might as well have had 'trouble' written on her forehead.

_C'mon, she's gorgeous…even if she is a little rude…rude and arrogant and not at all my type. I like nice girls! Don't I?_

Tara carefully set the plant on the windowsill in the light and sat staring at it, her thoughts dwelling solely on the young woman who had given it to her. It took her a few moments to realise that, despite all her protestations, she couldn't wait to see her again. She tore her eyes away from the plant and picked up the bag at her feet. If anything could succeed in putting her into a mind numbing stupor where she was incapable of thinking stupid thoughts of any kind it would be tax forms.


	3. Roses have Thorns

**CHAPTER THREE  
Roses Have Thorns**

"Thanks so much for coming with me Buffy," Willow said as they lined up at the door of the most popular lesbian bar in town – made so by the fact that it was the only one in town.

Willow looped her arm around Buffy's waist, giving her best friend a quick hug before checking for the tenth time that her outfit was still as sexy as she had thought when she chose to wear it. After discarding almost her entire wardrobe, Willow had finally settled on a off the shoulder green top which set off her eyes to their best advantage. It was also daringly sheer to the point of being transparent. Her black skirt was split up the side, offering a tantalising glimpse of creamy thigh. Topping it all off were her favourite leather boots which reached just below her knee.

"Will, you owe me big time just for stepping foot into a place called the 'Sexy Kitten.' You'll really owe me when I start having to fend off lesbians left, right and centre." Buffy was looking about nervously as though she expected to be pounced on at any moment.

In complete contrast to her friend, Buffy had chosen the dowdiest outfit she could find, tan slacks and a white shirt in which she still managed to look absolutely gorgeous.

Willow snorted. "What makes you think you are going to attract lesbians? You'll be pleased to know it's pretty obvious that you're straight."

"It is?" Buffy asked with a frown. "Do I have a sign on my arse?"

Willow grinned, "No, but speaking of arses we've been standing a few meters back from the most gorgeous arse I've seen all year and you haven't taken a single peek. Just about every other woman here has. "

"Why would I?" Buffy said incredulously. "Anyway, who's arse?"

"Blonde in the leather pants and blue top…see…"

Willow discreetly pointed to the back of a young woman wearing a pair of black leather pants which clung to every curve of her shapely buttocks and legs. She wore a blue top which left a tiny strip of skin bare between its hem and the top of her pants. Willow's hand was itching to rest itself there, draw her into her body with a firm grip. Her blonde hair was drawn up and arranged at the back of her head, offering Willow a view of her pale and entirely biteable neck.

"Next to that skanky brunette in the belt that wishes it were a skirt." Willow suddenly realised that something was very wrong._ Wait a minute…beautiful blonde with a gorgeous arse and skanky brunette._ Willow's jaw dropped and she clutched at Buffy's arm for support.

The blonde turned to hear something the brunette was saying to her and Willow saw her profile clearly. Any remaining traces of doubt were blown away when she recognised those lips and the nose - it was her.

"Will? Are you okay?" Buffy looked down to see Willow's nails biting into her arm.

"It's her Buff," Willow let go of Buffy and ducked further behind the people directly in front of them, lowering her voice to almost a whisper.

"Her? As in her hocus pocus her? Her that has Willow quivering at the knees and in other places that I ought not mention?" Buffy clapped delightedly as she stood on tiptoes to get a better view.

"Buffy!" Willow scolded as the blonde drew far too much attention to them, she had flushed a bright red. "Yes, I mean, yes to it being her…not to the quivering!"

Willow bit her lip when faced with the infamous Buffy stare that said she knew everything.

"Yes to the quivering as well."

"At the knees or in the other places I ought not mention?" Buffy asked mischievously.

"That's none of your business Buffy," Willow firmly.

Buffy nodded. "So yes then."

* * *

"What's your poison?" Faith asked Tara in a loud voice as they jostled for a spot at the busy bar.

"I'll have a diet coke."

Faith gave her a look of disgust before grabbing the attention of the barkeep. "Gimme two manhattans with double of everything."

Having procured their drinks, Faith and Tara made their way to a spot where they could watch the dance floor without being in the thick of the action. Tara sipped the strong drink and made a face as it burned her throat. Faith was already scanning the floor, a small smile on her face as her eyes drifted over the sweaty, half-naked bodies gyrating to the fast beat.

"This is ridiculous," Tara said, running a hand awkwardly over the leather that clung to her thighs. "How on earth did I let you talk me into wearing these…or even coming here for that matter?"

"You look gorgeous T. Although I wouldn't advise having to go to the bathroom any time soon unless you have someone to help get back into them," Faith looked at Tara with a glint in her eyes. "Or unless you have someone to help you get out of them."

Tara flushed and took another sip of her drink even as Faith knocked hers back in one long gulp. She couldn't help but feel guilty that she was even here to start with. Although Giles had said he didn't mind babysitting Ashley in the slightest, Tara knew what a handful her girl could be. Giles wasn't exactly 'down' with the latest crazes for small girls and he couldn't stand being forced to listen to the schmaltzy bubblegum pop Ashley loved.

"Dawn that is one fine lookin' blonde!" Faith's enthusiastic growl interrupted Tara's worries. "Straight though…pity."

Her gaze drifted to the red head standing next to her and her eyes went wide for a few moments as she recognised who it was. She grinned at Tara and decided it was about time to draw some attention to themselves.

"Blonde where?" Tara asked in an effort to appear enthusiastic, half-heartedly scanning the room.

"Ah, can't see her anymore…c'mon T, let's go shake our groove things."

Faith lead Tara onto the dance floor, easily pushing her way through the tightly packed throng. It was as though the crowd were parting for her and she loved every second of it. She settled on a spot near the DJ, settling into a rhythm all of her own. Her hips gyrating wildly, an invitation for those watching to look and touch if they dared.

Tara felt as though her limbs were made of lead as she tried to find her own rhythm somewhere. However, she was totally lacking in any enthusiasm, her limbs barely moving. She just stood, moving from one foot to the other, looking as though she wished she were somewhere else.

Faith glanced up for a few seconds and saw the redhead watching them with an unreadable expression on her face. She smirked and then looked back to Tara who was dancing as though she were a paraplegic. There was no way she was going to attract any attention.

Faith laid her hand gently on Tara's waist, drawing her a little closer.

"Ah Faith, this is verging on naughty touching," Tara looked a little alarmed as she tried to back away.

Faith grinned. "You know I'm over you T, just trying to get you to at least look like you're having fun!"

"There was nothing to get over!" Tara laughed back, feeling slightly relaxed.

"I'm going to the bathroom, you'll be okay by yourself for a few minutes?"

"Yes Faith, I'm not going to get eaten up."

Faith winked as she moved off into the crowd and left Tara to dance alone.

* * *

Willow watched Faith dance with the blonde from the other side of the bar, Buffy had buried herself in a beer and was quite content. Faith's hand went to the girl's hip and Willow felt a sudden overwhelming feeling of jealously surge through her at just that tiny contact. She then watched as Faith moved away in the direction of the bathroom, leaving the other girl alone on the dance floor. If she was bothered by having to dance alone, it did not show. Instead she closed her eyes and lost herself in the music, body moving in a way that made Willow all quivery once more…and not just in her knees.

She sculled back the last of her beer and slammed the glass down on the counter before moving to the dance floor. Even as she pushed her way through the bodies around her, not taking her eyes from her goal, she began to loose her nerve. Her trademark confidence completely abandoned her and she was left standing on the dance floor, unmoving even as people jostled her from all sides. All she could do was watch the beautiful blonde as she moved in a sensual dance of her own designs. Her body swayed to the beat of the music and for just a moment she ran her hands down her thighs. Willow's mouth went dry wishing they were her hands.

_Move you doofus! Move before someone else does!_

Willow covered the last of distance between them in a few steps and she found herself standing just behind her. Swallowing her nervousness she reached up to lay her hand over that strip of pale skin at her waist. The blonde jumped, startled at the unexpected contact. Gently, Willow pulled that gorgeous body close to her own until her pelvis was pressed against the blonde's buttocks. Her heart was threatening to burst from her chest but she managed to retain some shreds of confidence as she lent her chin on the woman's shoulder.

"Just keep doing whatever it was you were doing, I'll follow," she said quietly in her ear.

With some hesitation at first, Tara resumed the movement of her hips. She tried to keep her distance, feeling awkward whenever she came into contact with the other woman's body. Yet the beat of the music was intoxicating, almost as much as the feel of a woman's body pressed up against her own. She felt the woman's hand snake further around her waist until it was resting on her stomach. Applying gentle pressure, the woman drew her back even further until her breasts rubbed against Tara's back. Tara felt a growing warmth in the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes once more and lost herself in the wonderful sensations that were coursing through her body. Her hand drifted down to touch the one that lay over her stomach, she felt the slender fingers beneath her own.

Tara eventually turned in the woman's arms and she found herself face to face with Willow, the red head smiling shyly, two bright spots of red on either cheek. She stopped dancing in surprise. Willow's hand, which had been resting lightly on her hip, dropped back to her side.

"Sorry, I guess I took advantage in moving in like that," Willow admitted, talking just over the thumping music.

"No," Tara replied quickly, willing Willow to touch her again. "I-I don't mind…my friend just went to the bathroom…"

"Faith? Yeah, we've met," Willow grimaced slightly.

Tara smiled shyly. "I have to say t-thank you so much for the violet, it's beautiful."

Willow found herself smiling once more, feeling slightly bold enough to ask a question that had been on her mind since she first laid eyes on the blonde, "I didn't have the pleasure of asking you your name last time we spoke, I seem to remember making a hasty and somewhat undignified exit before I had the chance."

"It's T-Tara," Tara ducked her head.

"Tara," Willow repeated, savouring the word as though it were precious in itself.

The two women stood in the middle of the dance floor, the only still bodies in a crowd of flailing limbs. Willow found herself moving to the beat unconsciously, her hips swaying, willing Tara to stay here with her. The blonde looked about nervously as though she were wanting to make an escape. Gently, Willow reached out and placed a hand on Tara's waist, the skin of her fingers tingling at the feel of the smooth skin beneath hers. Slowly they resumed their rhythm and every other body on the dance floor was forgotten.

"Where's Buffy?" Willow wondered aloud, standing on tiptoes as she tried to spy her friend where she had left her by the bar.

* * *

Willow felt somewhat guilty that she had been so preoccupied dancing with Tara she had not thought about her friend sitting alone for all this time. She could not see Buffy anywhere. Tara frowned as she finally realised Faith had never returned from the bathroom…and that had been more than a few hours ago.

"That's odd," Willow mused, she drew out her cell phone and set a quick message – _Where are you?_

Tara felt guilty at the time that had passed, knowing she had promised Giles she would be home before midnight, "I should get going…a friend is watching Ashley for me, I shouldn't be home late."

Willow had been dreading that sentence…or rather words to that effect for the last few hours. She felt her good mood begin to ebb as she had absolutely no idea where she stood with Tara. Sure enough the blonde had spent the better part of an hour dancing with Willow's hand on her waist and even the pressing of their bodies together. Usually though, at this point of the night she could tell exactly where she stood as there had been a few hours of groping and making out in the middle of the dance floor and Willow could safely ask the young woman back to her apartment. Tara had to go home, their circumstances were so different.

"Well, thank you for a wonderful night…" Willow began. "Will you be alright getting home?"

Tara gulped, "Um, h-home isn't too far away…I w-was going to walk…" She couldn't quite believe she was actually going to go through with this. "C-could you walk me home?"

Willow grinned as though she had cream on her whiskers. "Sure thing."

* * *

"Um, thank you for walking me home."

Willow shifted from one foot to another, feeling as though she were a teenager once more.

"I'll be seeing you then," Willow was at a complete loss, usually at this point in the evening she would make a witty comment to relieve the tension or simply draw the other woman into her arms for a goodnight hug that all too often became something much more.

"W-Willow, w-would you like to come in…for some c-coffee?" Tara was staring at her feet as Willow turned around slowly.

"Coffee would be great, because I love coffee!" Willow had to fight to keep her mad enthusiasm in check.

Willow couldn't say another word as Tara led her inside and through the door to the stairs at the back of the store. She just followed the beautiful blonde, going over witty but sensitive conversation topics in her head.

Tara opened a the door at the top of the stairs that led to their home and an awful feeling suddenly gripped her when she realised that Giles would be sitting up waiting for her. He would see her come home with Willow in tow and there was no way she could get out of it save by telling Willow she couldn't come in for coffee even though she was at their front door. Taking a deep breath she pushed the door open.

Giles had been lying on his back on the couch, a look of pure boredom fixed on his face as he watched some god awful late night made for TV movie as they didn't have cable or a DVD player. He almost feel from the couch when Tara walked through the door, relief evident all over his face. However, when Willow walked through the door a split second later his jaw dropped and he did fall off the couch. As he scrambled to his feet he tried to appear as though nothing had just happened, although standing with a stupid grin on his face he failed miserably.

"How was Ashley?" Tara asked as she closed the door behind Willow.

"Excellent, we made burritos and had a rousing game of junior monopoly. She cleaned me out completely."

Tara smiled and turned to Willow who was standing awkwardly by the door. "Ah, Giles…this is a friend…Willow Rosenberg. Willow, Rupert Giles, he owns the Magic Box."

"Pleased to meet you, Willow," Giles crossed the floor and shook Willow's hand firmly.

"Likewise," Willow replied in a confident voice even though she felt as though she were being introduced to Tara's father.

The three of them then stood in the middle of the room, all shuffling their feet with nothing to say until Giles realised that he was indeed the odd one out. He coughed awkwardly.

"Um, I'll be off then."

"Thank you so much for watching Ashley for me," Tara said sincerely.

"No problem…besides Faith was very convincing when she explained of your need to get out and…well, er, get out."

"Thank you, Giles," Tara replied and propelled him towards the door.

The door shut behind him and Willow and Tara were left alone once more.

Willow sat nervously on the couch as Tara fixed two great big, steaming mugs of coffee. She had plenty of time to glance around at the space

"So you're a detective?" _Way to start an exhilarating conversation Tara! You might have well have asked if she was a natural red head. Well is she?_

Willow took a small sip of her coffee and nodded. "I was applying for university when I saw a scholarship scheme offered for trainee detectives…I never really knew what I wanted to be so I thought I'd give it a go and six years later I'm working homicide in a city like this."

"It must be challenging?" Tara took a hasty gulp of her own scalding coffee to stop herself asking anymore stupid questions, she ended up burning her tongue.

Willow nodded, for a few moments a sad expression flickered over her features and Tara felt a shiver run down her spine when she sensed some of the overwhelming evil the detective had seen in her young life. It came as no shock to her however…Tara knew evil. She and Faith lived with it every second of their lives and it took everything she had within her to keep it from Ashley.

Willow's cell phone beeped and she quickly checked it to see a message from Buffy - _At home…alone. I hope you are not!_ She grinned and tucked the device back in her pocket. "Sorry about that."

"Is your friend alright?" Tara asked quietly.

"She's fine! So," Willow smiled brightly. "Enough talk about work, it's Saturday night…well, Sunday morning at least - tell me about Tara Maclay."

"W-what would you l-like to know?" Tara felt uncomfortable talking about herself, she would much rather Willow kept talking for the rest of the night. She could listen to the red head's adorable way of talking for hours and still be intrigued.

"Passions, foibles, favourite dessert…the whole enchilada," Willow said grandly.

"Um, I-I…there's not much to me really…"

"I doubt that," Willow replied with a kind smile, reaching out to lay her hand on Tara's knee in purely a gesture of reassurance.

Tara flinched slightly before becoming used to the warm weight of it resting there. She was even disappointed when Willow drew it away and went back to cupping her coffee cup with both hands.

"The store and Ashley are my life…my passions."

Willow was desperately curious as to who Ashley's father was, how Tara had come to have such a beautiful little girl. Yet she knew…somehow she knew that was one question Tara would not answer and therefore it was one question that Willow would not ask.

"The Magic Box," Willow mused. "It seems strange in this day and age to think that such old superstitions are still held on to-" Willow suddenly realised what she was saying. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to say it like that…I just meant-"

"I-I know what you m-meant," Tara replied with a small smile. "T-there are many people who don't understand…who don't believe simply because it is not real to them."

Willow frowned. "Real? You mean magic is real? Like Hogwarts kind of magic is real?"

Tara shook her head. "No…but yes, magic is very much real."

"Show me something then?" Willow sat up expectantly.

Tara shook her head. "I cannot…magic doesn't work that way, it's not something to see at a sideshow, nor is it to be used for selfish reasons like showing off."

Willow shrugged, feeling more than a little uncomfortable and out of her element.

She set her coffee down on the table in front of them and was very much aware that the silence between them had returned. Tara's hair had drifted forward over her face as she ducked her head. Willow tentatively reached out and pushed it back, tucking the soft strands behind Tara's ear so they could not obscure her view of alabaster skin. A red hue crept into Tara's cheeks and Willow marvelled at her shyness. It reminded Willow of when she had been a awkward teenager, more interested in computers than people simply because she could understand them.

Tara slowly lifted her head to look at Willow, her blue eyes were smouldering and she did not even know it. Willow felt her throat go bone dry.

Willow found herself slipping her hand around Tara's waist once more, drawing the blonde into her body as she had when they were dancing. Now however, without the music and the atmosphere of the club, Willow's nervousness returned full fold. It was just her and Tara and an awkward silence in which their breathing could be clearly heard.

Willow brought everything back to a place she could understand. Ever so slowly, Willow lifted her other hand up to cup Tara's cheek, running her thumb along the strong jaw line. There were so many words Willow wanted to say and yet she was sure that she could not string any into a coherent sentence.

_Beautiful, breathtaking, want to kiss you so much, take care of you, hold you close, stroke your hair your skin your breasts…and god they're gorgeous…just like you and I think I'm falling in- _Willow gulped and almost choked.

Instead she let her body do all the talking, which in the state she was currently in was probably not the best course of action. Insistently and yet gently at the same time, she pressed Tara down into the cushions with the weight of her body. Willow kept her upper body weight off Tara by placing her hands on either side of the blonde, her thigh however was nestled securely beneath the blonde's. She held back even though Tara's face was flushed, her lips parted slightly in anticipation.

"Tara?" Willow asked quietly, waiting for an invitation before she would go any further.

Tara gazed up into Willow's eyes, seeing sincerity in her emerald eyes. There was desire too but she doubted if it was even half of what she felt for the woman lying above her. Ever so slightly she moved against Willow's thigh, letting out a sharp breath at the stirrings between her legs. Willow responded to Tara's movement, setting up a slow but insistent rhythm of her leg against Tara's mound. Ever so slowly she lowered herself down until their bodies were pressed together, their lips close enough to feel each other's breath…

"Mommy?" Ashley's small voice spoke up from behind them.

"Ashley," Tara hastily pushed Willow back and crawled out from beneath her, brushing her hair back from her face as she did so. "Ashley, go back to bed."

"I just wanted a drink of water," she whispered.

"I'll bring you one, now hurry, scoot!"

"Okay," the little girl replied quietly before smiling at Willow. "Hi Officer Willow."

She ran back down the hallway, leaving Willow kneeling on the couch next to Tara who was sitting with her head in her hands.

"She's cute-" Willow began as Tara looked up.

"Ms Rosenberg, thank you once again for walking me home."

"Ah, like I said don't mention it…is something up?"

"You should go, it's getting late."

"Tara?"

"This was all a terrible mistake, Willow."

Willow felt as though she were the villain and it hurt. "Have I suddenly gone dumb all of a sudden? Because I thought you were into me at the club and just now…you asked me in and now you're trying to play all innocent?"

"I'm sorry."

"Tara…I-I…" _Like you a lot…give me a chance please!_ but Willow felt her disappointment turn to anger. It surged through her and erupted even as she was fighting to hold it back, she stood up, "I don't need this! I don't need a woman who can't let go of her responsibilities and let herself have some fun. If you don't want me to see you ever again then tell me to my face, don't leave me hanging like this!"

"Fun?" Tara asked in disbelief. "What do you mean by fun exactly?"

"We danced, I walked you home, you invited me in and just now we were all snugly-wuggly…I just thought…" Willow felt worse with every passing second.

"What? That we were going to fuck?" Tara asked coldly. "You're right Willow, I don't want to see you ever again."

"Likewise," Willow shot back as she spun on her heels and began storming towards the stairs. "I don't know what sort of person you think I am to make you think that I wouldn't respect your situation."

"I know exactly what type of woman you are Willow Rosenberg and I can assure you that I am not the slightest bit interested in anything you have to offer."

"You were a couple of minutes ago!" Willow protested. "And now you're trying to make me out to be some sort of villain who takes advantage of lonely single mothers!"

"I'm sorry," Tara sighed, everything was coming out wrong. "I'm not trying to vilify you, Willow. I just don't think you're the right woman for me."

"No, because I'm not perfect!" Willow spat back, her heart was hammering in her ears, her blood pumping. "Well, I've got news for you…you aren't perfect either! What just happened between us was perfectly normal. People feel things for one another and it leads to a little something called sex and you can't deny that you want it just as much as I do…and I really can't believe I'm stuck in babble mode now! Look Tara…I-I…" Willow swallowed painfully but she would not meet Tara's liquid gaze, if she had then she would not have been able to say the horrible words which poured out of her mouth in her anger. "Goddammit Tara, why should I be the one to apologise here?"

She slammed the door with all the force she could muster and it fairly rattled on its hinges and ran down the stairs at breakneck speed. Willow did not stop until she had run several blocks in the wrong direction. Gasping for breath she doubled over and put her hands on her knees.

"That went well," she whispered miserably into the night.


	4. Learning to be British

**CHAPTER FOUR  
Learning to be British**

Tara was perched on the ladder leading up to Ashley's bunk, she watched in silence as Ashley slowly drank her water. She would take a mouthful and then lower the glass, swallowing carefully in what was a cunning but obvious ploy to be able to sit with her mother just for a moment longer.

Even as she sat by her daughter, Tara felt her eyes burning painfully with unshed tears. Willow's heated anger. The door had slammed so loudly it was still ringing in her ears.

With a last, loud slurp Ashley finished off her water and reluctantly handed the glass back to her mother. She did not snuggle back down into the covers immediately and instead sat staring, a small frown crossing her face when she thought she saw a tear fall from her mother's eye. It was dashed away before she could be certain.

"I'm sorry we haven't spent any time together today, kiddo," Tara whispered as she took the empty glass from Ashley. She lifted up the covers as an indication for her to crawl beneath them.

"You've been busy in the shop," Ashley replied with a sigh, burrowing back down.

Tara tucked the blankets up around her chin. "I know, there have been all these out of state orders and our suppliers can't keep up with the demand - sorry, too much shop talk."

"You're always working, Mommy…except for tonight."

"Ash," Tara said in a cautionary voice, feeling her eyes burn even more fiercely.

"I like Officer Willow!" Ashley said propping herself up with her elbows, mouth forming into a defiant pout. "You like her too!"

"You're only seven-" Tara began in soft tones.

"You don't understand," Ashley interrupted in an attempted imitation of her mother's voice. "I do too understand a lot of stuff." She looked slightly abashed when she had finished, knowing her mother did not usually tolerate such behaviour.

Tara sighed and stroked Ashley's hair back out of her face. "I know you do, honey."

"I liked Jo as well," Ashley continued, seeing as though her mother wasn't in a hurry to chastise her. "She was nice and you thought she was nice too because she gave you really good back massages...well, at least that's what I think she was doing to make you moan-"

"Ashley Diana Maclay!" Tara snapped, her eyes going wide with shock. "H-how…I mean, you shouldn't have been listening. And you've been spending far too much time with-"

"Faith," Ashley finished again. "I like spending time with Faith. She's not busy all the time like you. Does that mean you're going to make her go away as well?"

"No, unfortunately we're stuck with Faith," Tara replied more for her own sake than Ashley's. "You should spend more time with Giles so he can teach you how to be more like him."

"Ah," Ashley nodded. "So I can learn to be British."

"So you can learn some manners. Now lie back down. Here's Bryson," Tara handed Ashley her stuffed dog and kissed her on the forehead. "Sweet dreams honey."

Tara climbed down the ladder, flicking the night light on before she moved to turn off the main light.

"Mommy, are you going to see Officer Willow again?" Ashley asked quietly.

"I don't think so honey, now go to sleep," Tara started closing the door.

"Well I think you should see her again. She makes you laugh and Faith said you should see her again because you need to get laid. What does 'laid' mean?"

"Um…a…b-back massage," Tara mumbled and then immediately regretted it.

Ashley frowned. "Why don't you just get laid with Faith then?"

"Um…we'll talk about this tomorrow honey okay? Now, good night, sweetie."

"Mom?"

"Yes?" Tara had almost closed the door.

"Why are you crying? Was it because Willow yelled at you?" she asked in a small but curious voice.

Tara had to choke back a sudden sob. "Good night Ashley," she said firmly.

Tara closed the door and started making her way back down the hallway but before she had gone more than a few steps she was racked by sudden sobs. She lent her forehead against the wall as she cried, tears falling faster than she could wipe them away. She didn't even understand why she was crying…well, it was obvious that Willow's words had hurt her badly and yet she was just as much to blame for being so cold without apparent reason.

But I do have every reason to distance myself from Willow…there's something within her…but it doesn't feel like darkness…and at the same time, it does.

Tara turned over and lent her back against the cool wall, she pressed her fists to her eyes to stem the flow. She did not understand what had gone wrong. If it had worked, Willow should never have been able to find her in the first place. Yet she had and as a consequence everything was going to hell.

* * *

With her cheeks feeling somewhat dry, Tara wandered absently back into the lounge. She found Faith lying on the sofa watching TV with a box of donuts propped on her stomach. The Slayer was watching reruns of _Xena: Warrior Princess_ - crumbs all over her chest as well as on the floor. She looked less like a mystical chosen warrior and more like a couch potato with the table manners of an infant.

"Who'dya think would win…" she asked with a mouthful of food. "Me or the Warrior chick? I reckon I could so kick her arse…as long as she doesn't take me out with that Frisbee thing of hers."

"You're in big trouble," Tara growled at the brunette, folding her arms as only a mother could.

"What'd I do?" Faith propped herself up on her elbows and tried her best to look like the innocent she was not.

"You open your mouth that's what you do" Tara said in exasperation before remembering to keep her voice down in case Ashley could hear her. "Can you please be careful what you say around Ashley? She picks up on everything she hears."

Faith grinned, not chastised in the slightest. "Sooner or later you're going to have to talk to her about sex. Why not do it as soon as possible before she finds out from TV?"

"Or you?" Tara raised her eyebrows and glared.

"You want me to talk to her for you?"

"Goddess no!" Tara said hurriedly, crossing the room to make herself another cup of coffee. "Where'd you go tonight?"

"Well, I came back and saw you grinding pelvis's with a particularly fine looking red head…a red head that, unless I'm very much mistaken, you said you weren't interested in. What's up with that T?" Faith winked and guffawed heartily. "Hey, my mission was accomplished, I didn't need to stick around and play matchmaker for you and Red. Although speaking of Red, I see that's she's not here. Which I get because you'd never put out on the first date. So, how did things go?"

"I am not interested in that horrible, foul-mouthed…" Tara stopped. Willow was many things, but she did not deserve to be talked about in such a fashion.

Faith blinked and stopped chewing. "Whoa, I take it things didn't go as well as I thought?"

Tara related the whole story of her disastrous evening spent with Willow in a bland voice, right down to the slamming of the door. Although she did omit the way Willow's body lying atop hers had made her feel.

When Tara had finished Faith just sat there looking at her with her best sympathetic expression.

"Well, when are you going to call Willow and apologise?"

Tara blinked, "Why the hell should I apologise to…to her!

"Okay, you are fully aware of just who you're talking to here, T?" Faith raised her eyebrows, "If anyone is qualified to say that you were into Red then it would be me…and you were into her! And it sounds as though someone put the Ashley excuse to full use yet again…and after I told you to stop bloody doing it!"

"I don't think so Faith," Tara replied sadly.

"Why the hell not? Swallow your pride, T!"

_Has she seen through everything?_ "Because I can't…not with her, the way she is. Is it too much to ask for a nice girl?"

"In this day and age? Yes!" Faith replied tersely. "Besides, I'm not nice and you let me take care of Ash."

"Something I'm beginning to regret," Tara remarked miserably. "This was a bad idea all around. I'm beginning to I think I'm socially retarded."

Faith set the donuts on the floor. "You just need to be able to balance the things in your life that matter to you. C'mere, gorgeous." She patted the spot on the sofa next to her with a warm smile.

With a sigh, Tara flopped onto the sofa next to Faith and let the Slayer draw her close. Faith brushed her hair out of her face as she held Tara, the blonde's head resting on her shoulder.

"I don't think Willow's going to be back."

"What gave you that impression? The fact that you told her to leave or that she slammed the door on you?" Faith chuckled. "Damn, there's something about that girl. You know, if you really don't want her, do you think she'll go for me?"

Tara didn't reply to that and nor did Faith expect her to. Instead what she did say made Faith raise her eyebrows. "I'm scared, Faith," Tara eventually admitted in a small voice.

Tara did not know why she had chosen that precise moment to bring up her fears. However when Faith turned to look at her in the eyes, she felt a measure of reassurance despite the small frown on her face.

Faith was right to frown. Even after six years, she still did not know who Tara was. Indeed, neither Giles nor Faith had ever pried into Tara's past and nor would they until the blonde was ready to talk to them.

"Why are you scared, T?" Faith asked quietly. When Tara did not reply, she continued herself, "Hey, listen, I'm sorry for being such an arsehole with my nagging. I shouldn't have teased you about seeing that girl again. Is it her you're scared of?"

Tara's eyes misted slightly. "No, no…not of Willow," her voice lowered to the barest whisper. "And yes…I'm terrified of her. Yet, I know this doesn't make sense, for some reason I know she would never hurt me.

"Have you forgotten what just happened? The whole yelling and the door slamming?" Faith demanded. "It's okay to admit that freaked you out."

"Of course I haven't forgotten, but Willow's not the one to blame. It's my fault," Tara replied quietly, hanging her head until her hair fell forward over her face.

Faith's frown was steadily increasing as she completely lost the gist of what Tara was trying to say. "Granted you are partially to blame…but Red obviously has one mean temper on her. Now that I think about it I really don't want to leave you alone with her…ever. Although…" Faith tried to lighten the mood. "I'd like to be left alone with her and her temper…"

"I don't think she has a temper," Tara replied in a mere whisper.

"She doesn't? Tara?" Faith was well and truly befuddled by the blonde. "You're being very weird. Okay, how do you know Red doesn't have a temper...even though you've seen it in action. Would you please tell me what way is all of this your fault?"

"It's what I did."

"Tara…what did you do?" Faith asked in a low voice

Tara slowly raised her head and the blue eyes were liquid with unshod tears, her lower lip trembled as she fought not to cry. "A spell..."

* * *

Buffy had spent most of Sunday trying to reach Willow at home but all she had managed to reach was Willow's answering machine. She now found herself at the door of the red head's apartment, knocking once before entering as she always did. Willow's usually immaculate apartment was a mess. The dishes were piled high around the sink even though Buffy knew she had a dishwasher. Clothes were strewn in a trail from the living room to the adjoining bedroom.

"Will?"

There was a sudden scramble on the couch as someone moved to switch the TV off as it played something that sounded suspiciously like-

"You were watching the Sound of Music!" Buffy accused in an incredulous voice.

A rather pathetic looking Willow peeked up from where she was buried in a swath of blankets on the couch. Her nose was red, her eyes puffy as though she had been crying for quite some time. A well used box of tissues sitting on the coffee further attested to the fact.

Buffy moved closer to see a half eaten twinkie lying alone in a box where many more had once been. The blonde's jaw dropped and she stopped dead in her tracks at the state of her best friend.

"Okay, who are you and what have you done with Willow?" Buffy demanded, waving her finger in Willow's direction.

Willow pulled her blankets up over her head in a vain effort to make Buffy go away. Buffy was last person she wanted to see her like this…well, maybe not the last. There was another blonde that she would be quite happy to never see again…and yet she was the only person Willow wanted to see again. She suddenly found the blanket stripped away from her head and found Buffy kneeling in front of her, a concerned but confused looked on her face.

"Will, what on earth is up with you?" she asked softly.

"Nothing Buff," Willow replied in a strained voice, as though she were about to burst into tears. "I mean not nothing. I think I might be coming down with the flu."

"In summer?"

Buffy spied the remote lying on the floor and she quickly picked it up before Willow could stop her. She turned the TV on and predictably found the Sound of Music playing, the Von Trapp children singing their hearts out. Buffy turned back to face Willow with raised eyebrows.

Willow flushed bright red and reached for the glass on the coffee table. Buffy's arm shot out and intercepted her wrist before she could pick it up.

"I don't think you should be drinking alcohol in your state," she said cautiously, inspecting the bubbly brown beverage.

"It's just Dr Pepper," Willow protested plaintively.

"That's just as bad," Buffy replied tersely. "I'm going to make you a strong cup of coffee."

Buffy returned with two steaming mugs of coffee after having had to wash the mugs herself and find the coffee maker beneath mountains of dishes and empty take out cartons. She handed one to Willow and wriggled a spot for herself on the couch beside her.

"So, are you going to explain the junk food and schmaltzy musical fest?"

"No," Willow whispered, taking a scalding gulp of coffee.

"I don't understand, Will. When I left you last night you were well on your way to scoring the girl of your dreams and now you look like death warmed up. What's the worst that could have happened?"

"She's making me go insane Buffy," Willow held the cup in two shaking hands.

Buffy looked around at the state of Willow's apartment. "Yes, you are insane…but how…and more importantly why? I haven't seen you this upset since you were given an A minus for one of our Academy papers."

"I can't explain it Buffy. It's as though I'm being torn apart. Every inch of my being is crying out to just be able to see her and yet every time I do see her…everything falls to pieces. It's as though I can't think straight when I'm around her. I can't carry on a simple conversation and I can't keep my hands off her as though I'm some sort of horny…guy!" Willow angrily dashed away tears that had begun to fall.

"Did something happen last night?" Buffy asked softly. "Will…you wouldn't…hurt someone in any way would you?"

Willow choked back a sob. "God no Buffy! How could you even think that?"

"I'm sorry…"

Willow sniffed. "I yelled at her though. She hadn't done anything to deserve it…well, maybe she did. I mean, for a few moments I could tell she wanted me as badly as I wanted her and then all of a sudden she turned cold…just when Ashley walked in."

"Who's Ashley? Her girlfriend?"

Willow shook her head. "Her little girl. She's about seven I think."

"Maybe she's just scared?" Buffy asked.

"Scared…paranoid…and completely irrational!" Willow blew her nose noisily on a tissue. "I hate her!" Buffy raised her eyebrows even as the vehement look on Willow's face melted as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a look of complete confusion. "Hate…how can I hate someone I…someone I l-love so much?"

Buffy set her coffee cup down on the table before she dropped it altogether. "Willow?" she said in a low voice. "Do you know what you just said?"

Willow blinked, staring at Buffy blankly for a few moments. "What?"

"You just said you love her. I've never heard you say that about any of your conquests before."

"I so did not say that!"

"Yes you did, I just heard you."

"I don't love her…" Willow couldn't even sound convincing to her own ears.

At that moment Buffy's cell rang and she picked it up to carry on a brief conversation that consisted mostly of 'yes' and 'we'll be right there.' She ended the conversation and looked to Willow, wondering if her partner was up to doing anything besides feeling sorry for herself.

"What is it?" Willow looked up from her cocoon of blankets.

"We've got another one," Buffy said in an urgent voice.


	5. Heart's Fire

**Chapter Five  
Heart's Fire**

"Are you sure you're up for this Will?" Buffy was eyeing her partner cautiously as their car pulled up outside the address she'd been given over the phone.

Willow had not bothered to change out of the clothes she'd been wearing when Buffy showed up at her apartment. She was wearing a very rumpled tracksuit with her hair done up in a scruffy ponytail. Although she looked a mess, Willow's manner was all business. She carried with her palm pilot and was already making notes.

"I'm fine," she replied, although not meeting Buffy's gaze.

Buffy was not at all convinced. "Because if you need some time off I'm sure I can rope one of the other guys into helping me out on this one," Buffy said as she turned off the key and the car fell silent.

Willow finally turned to face Buffy. There was a brave attempt at a smile fixed on her face. "I really appreciate your concern but I'll be fine. Trust me, the blonde is already a page in the past."

Buffy raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "One of those pages that is dog-eared and keeps getting re-read over and over again. You know, like page 104 in your copy of Tipping the Velvet?"

"Buffy!" Willow spluttered indignantly. "What do I have to say to convince you to let this go?"

"I'm just worried about you Willow. You being cut up about a girl. It's totally new territory for me as a best friend. I just want to make sure you're not going to go all hermit on me. Seeing you watching the Sound of Music? That was pretty disturbing."

"The sooner you drop it, the sooner I'll be over it, Buff."

"You sure, cos'-"

"Buffy," Willow said a little more firmly. "Our discussion is over…ok? We've got a job to do."

Buffy nodded. "Let's get in there then."

The two detectives made their way up the short flight of stairs and inside the seemingly ordinary house. It was a standard brownstone belonging to an apparently affluent family. The air of dread was palpable as soon as they entered. Uniformed cops were standing in the foyer, they nodded solemnly as Buffy and Willow walked past.

"Up the stairs to your left," one said in a sombre tone.

As they walked up the stairs Willow glimpsed into the living room to see a young woman sobbing into her hands. A pale-faced man was standing at her side, awkwardly patting her shoulder. Her heart began to sink already and they hadn't even seen the bodies yet…

"Oh god no," Buffy whispered quietly as they walked into the room.

The room was a large nursery decorated in bright blue tones, a frieze of sailing boats trailing around the wall. It had within it all the usual furniture one would associate with a small child, a crib…changing table…beautiful toys. Willow glanced up to see a mobile swirling from the ceiling, the small planes flying around and around in their never ending circuit. She glanced to the crib, the blankets were thrown back, a teddy bear the only occupant.

In the middle of the carpeted floor there were two circles, the same as in the warehouse. One contained a black robed man, his face non-descript, a pool of nearly dry blood staining the surface beneath him. The chalk markings around him were barely visible on the carpet and yet they were there. Willow checked her tablet to find them identical to those at the first scene.

Both Willow and Buffy were avoiding casting their gaze to the second, much smaller circle. For what lay within it, neither wanted to ever have to see. Yet it was their job. Willow knelt down and felt her heart get stuck painfully in her throat.

"Parents woke up at six this morning. They both thought it was weird they weren't woken by the baby crying. The father came in to find this," a cop informed them, his voice sounding dry and scratchy.

"They didn't hear a thing?" Buffy asked incredulously, making a circuit of the larger circle.

The cop shook his head sadly. "Nothing…and their room is right through that door there."

He made a swift and very grateful exit from the room after that, leaving the two detectives and the forensics team who were dusting the room for prints. They wouldn't find anything.

Willow said nothing as she knelt, she just stared at the tiny body lying in the centre of the circle. They were supposed to stop things like this happening and yet all they ever seemed to do was clean up the mess. How could they have stopped this? She stood and forced herself to do the job she was paid to do.

Like the professionals they were, Buffy and Willow went to work straight away although neither could glance at the victim without feeling sick to the stomach.

"Will…look at this…" Buffy pointed with her pen at a line on the inside of the larger circle.

It followed the same path as the sticky substance they had found in the first circles at the warehouse. Although as Buffy pointed out, there was a small patch of dried plant-like substance remaining. Obviously it had failed to congeal with the rest of it. Buffy drew a small plastic bag out of her coat and scooped up a small amount with her pen. She sealed it and stood, holding it up to the light for a better look. Willow stood at her side with a frown on her face,

"Some sort of herb?" Buffy suggested.

"It would appear so but I don't think it's sage or thyme or any of your other garden variety cooking ingredients." Willow was still making notes on her tablet.

"I guess it's off to the lab with this." Buffy waved the little bag before making to hand it to one of the forensics guys.

"You know what Buffy," Willow held out her hand and beckoned. "I have a better idea."

Buffy looked suspiciously at her partner but she waved the forensics guy away and handed it to Willow.

"We'll only run into the same problem we had last time, the lab will be able to tell us what it is…but not what it is you know."

"I do know…I was never any good at chemistry," Buffy nodded.

Willow's face was a business-like mask, "Well I am, and I still can't make heads or tails of the report. I think I know who can tell us what this is."

Buffy frowned, "Who?"

Willow set her lips tightly. "First thing tomorrow I'm going to that Magic store." She glanced quickly at the awful sight and her fingers whitened as they held the small bag. "I want this…whatever it is, I want it to stop."

"Will…are you sure that's such a good idea? I mean…I can just as easily take it there."

"Thanks Buff…but I have to do this. Besides, it's just business." Willow's thoughts shifted to those haunting blue eyes and the look of sadness that seemed to reside there. "It's just business."

* * *

"I think we need to talk, Tara," Giles said softly.

Tara looked up from where she was standing on the balcony that overlooked their back alley. She was leaning against the railing as she sipped a cup of herbal tea, watching Ashley play indoors. Giles stepped outside to join her, closing the French doors behind him.

"Faith told you?" Tara took a deep gulp of tea in an effort to calm herself.

"All she told me was that she's worried about you…and I think I can say now that we both are and I think I ought to know exactly what it is you did."

"G-Giles, I can't…please don't ask me to tell you."

He reached out and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "If this spell could harm you in any way…then I believe you should tell me Tara."

Tara shivered, not at the contact but at the realisation that she would indeed tell him absolutely everything. A story she had never told anyone before and it more than frightened her speechless. Giles withdrew his hand when he felt the blonde woman tremble but the sincere expression on his face remained.

Tara looked at Giles over her shoulder. "Everything?" she asked in a small voice.

He shrugged. "Everything that is relevant."

"It's all relevant," Tara replied, turning to face the rooftops once more. "Every aspect of my life before I met you and Faith…every aspect of a life I want so desperately to be able to forget but he'll never ever let me."

"Who won't let you forget?"

"My father."

"Tara…your father died last year," Giles said in a sympathetic voice, even though he knew Tara had not lamented the man's passing.

"Giles…if anyone should know death isn't the end then it's you," Tara rebuked mildly.

Giles nodded in agreement. "So your story starts with you father?"

"Hmm, no, it really begins with my mother. You see, I never knew her. She died when I was no more than a baby and I can't remember her at all," Tara mused quietly.

"I am so very sorry Tara," Giles said softly as the young woman's eyes misted with tears.

Tara blinked them away furiously, if she started crying now she would never be able to get the story out. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I just wish I was given the chance to know her…sorry, I'm supposed to be giving you the facts not dreams. Did I ever tell you that I'm from Oregon?" Tara asked. She knew full well she had never mentioned that important fact to Giles.

"No," Giles replied quietly.

"There is nothing special to note about my childhood, other than the fact that I was decidedly unhappy throughout most of it."

_Tara pressed her hands to her temples as the deafening roar of the cries around her aggravated her already pounding headache. It was the aftermath of a high school football match and not just any, the team had just secured their place in the final of the state championships by narrowly beating their long-standing rivals in a match the town would be talking about for years to come. It seemed as though the entire school and half the town had come to the after-party and it seemed as though every one of those people were drunk or well on their way. _

"_Babe, you okay?" Tara looked up at the sound of the soft voice. It was Roy Epstein - the star quarterback and her brother Donnie's best friend. _

"_Roy…hey." Tara managed a weak smile. _

_He held two bottle of beer in his hands and passed one to Tara. She took it with a small smile even though she had never been much for drinking. _

"_Not having a great time I take it?" he asked, taking a seat on the bench beside her. "These things do tend to deteriorate as soon as everyone gets a few drinks into them."_

"_I should've gone home as soon as the game was over," Tara took a small sip of her beer out of politeness. "I guess-"_

"_I'd stay out too if I had to go home to your Dad!" Roy laughed and then immediately bit it back. "Sorry Tara, that was uncalled for. It's not my place to comment."_

"_No, it's alright…my Dad's an arsehole and everyone knows it," Tara said bitterly. _

"_Yeah, your Dad's always been a bit wacko though. My Mom said he was even like that when your Mom was alive…although you and Donnie turned out okay despite him. Just think, in a few years you'll be heading off to college!"_

_Tara shook her head sadly. "I don't think so. Donnie is going to college, I'm never going to leave here."_

_She tipped her head back and drained the bottle half empty in one go. _

"_You're going to miss him when he goes huh?"_

_Tara just nodded. "It'll just be me and Dad. Y'know, he's been really weird lately though…saying odd things…asking me why I don't have a boyfriend. It's really getting on my goat all the hints he keeps dropping about my getting married and moving out of home and having kids. He doesn't seem to realise I'm still in high school! It's a little scary."_

_Roy set his beer down on the ground and turned to regard Tara calmly. She stared back, noting that he really was quite cute despite his crooked nose…why on earth wasn't she interested in him? Tara sighed, the answer to that question was fairly obvious. Roy smiled slightly. _

"_You're worried your Dad's going to freak if he finds out you're gay," he said calmly. _

_Tara began to stutter a denial but when she saw the look on his face she felt oddly reassured. "Yeah."_

"_I used to think you were friends with my sister just because you wanted to be close to me…typical arrogance talking. I mean, how could you not be interested in me? It never crossed my mind you really were her friend…and more…I saw you two kissing once and suffice to say I was pretty shocked…but it's cool. I guess it really sucked for you when Chris chose to go to university abroad."_

_Tara drained the rest of her beer and shrugged in reply. "She made the decision that was best for her." Tara felt a little dizzy. "R-Roy…" The empty bottle slipped from her grasp and she put her head in her hands. _

_Roy supported her in a gentle arm. "It's okay Tara, you've just had a little too much to drink. I'll take you home."_

"_Th…thank…" Tara couldn't quite get that one simple word out as she slipped into unconsciousness. _

* * *

_Tara blinked in confusion as she opened her eyes. Sun was streaming through a gap in the curtains as she lifted her head weakly. Her head was throbbing as though she had drunk a lot more than two beers the night before. She couldn't remember the ride home with Roy at all. Yet she was here, safely in her own room. _

_Tara sat up and felt a little queasy. She felt weird all over as she swung her legs onto the floor. Someone had taken her shoes off and set them neatly beside her bed. Everything was just fine…but why did she feel as though something had happened. _

_She was even surer of the fact when she scurried downstairs to make breakfast only to find everything already ready. Her father was in the middle of ladling more eggs onto her plate. _

"_I'm sorry I slept late-" she began, moving to help her father. _

"_I've got it, honey. You sit down and eat up," he waved towards her seat. _

_Tara sat down without a further protest, although not without a certain amount of weirdness. Something was amiss but for the life of her she didn't know what. Well, besides the fact that her father was never this nice…_

* * *

_Tara walked up the steps to her grandmother's front porch, she felt awful she hadn't been by to see her for two weeks at least. Especially when she usually stopped by every afternoon on the way home from school. Her grandmother was the only connection she had to her mother and she loved the strong elderly woman dearly. She had taught her so much about Wicca and how to use the magic that resided within her. _

_The old woman was standing, washing dishes at the kitchen sink when Tara knocked and entered._

_Aurelia Weaver did not even have to look up to know who it was, she only knew one person who radiated such an air of pure delight wherever she went. "Where have you been for the past two weeks Tara?…I've missed your company."_

_Tara smiled apologetically as she set her school bag on the floor next to the table. "I'm sorry grandmother. I-I haven't been well."_

_She turned from the sink and smiled warmly, extending her arms towards her only granddaughter. "Come here kiddo. Let me take a look at you."_

_Tara submitted herself to her grandmother's gentle inspection which was mostly just an excuse to be able to touch and hold her granddaughter. As her cheeks cupped in the strong, callused hands Tara instantly felt better. It was as though the way she had been feeling for the past two weeks had all been some sort of bad dream. She stared into her grandmother's pale blue eyes. Her close proximity meant that she could not fail to notice the reaction that spread over her grandmother's face. She went pale and began to tremble noticeably. _

"_Grandmother?" Tara asked concernedly. _

"_Tara…what happened to you?"_

_The young girl frowned. "When? Nothing…I've just been a little nauseous over the past few days…and my Dad has been weird, not letting me stop by and see you. He doesn't know I'm here now."_

_Aurelia shivered and gripped Tara's shoulders tightly. "Tara sweetie…this is much too soon. I haven't had the time to teach you everything you need to know to keep her safe!"_

"_Her? Her who?" Tara asked, beginning to think that her father wasn't the only relative who was acting strangely around her these days. _

"_Your daughter," Aurelia replied calmly, as though those words would not send Tara's mind reeling._

_Tara's mouth gaped but she knew it couldn't be true…there was no way on earth…absolutely none at all. She'd never even kissed a boy let alone gone any further._

"_What are you talking about?" Tara asked, her hand reaching out for the table behind her so she could steady herself. _

"_There's no time…he'll be wondering where you are soon…I'm surprised he's even letting you out of his sight to go to school…Tara, listen to me…your daughter is not evil but they want her for something that is…she will be the last and most important piece in their plan…the final sacrifice."_

"_Wait a minute!" Tara interrupted. "Sacrifice? Who's 'they'? And daughter? Are you trying to tell me I'm pregnant?"_

"_You are pregnant…and for now 'they' mostly means your father."_

_Tara felt her legs give way beneath her and she had to put both her hands on the table just to keep her from falling over outright. "My father?"_

_Aurelia looked at the clock. "I wish we had more time."_

"_More time for what?" Tara asked in a bland voice, she was still trying desperately to digest the fact that she was pregnant. Oh god, she thought. I can't even organize my own life let alone worry about someone else who's totally dependent on me, what's my father going to say…and hello! How the hell did this happen?_

"_To explain…you just have to trust me when I say it is not safe for you here. Well, it's not safe for you anywhere but as far away as you can get is best…you have to leave. Oh, I'm going to be in so much trouble with the Coven for not preparing you better," Aurelia sighed and shook her head even as Tara stared at her with a wholly perplexed look on her face, as though her grandmother had suddenly gone quite mad. It did indeed seem that way as she kept talking about things which seemed to make absolutely no sense. "They'll find a guardian for you…so you don't have to worry about being alone for too long…yes, they will find you a guardian but for now, you have to go."_

"_Go…where shall I go?" Tara asked weakly._

_The old woman left Tara for a few minutes as she disappeared from the kitchen into her bedroom. As Tara listened to her rummage, she finally took a seat at the table. The frightened young girl put her head in her hands and tried to sort through all the information that had been flying at her in just the past few minutes. Firstly she was pregnant for no apparent reason…and secondly she had to leave her home, also for no apparent reason other than that her grandmother said so. _

_Although, in the midst of her terror Tara's hand crept down to her stomach. It rested there, cradling her belly as though she could already feel it swelling even though her child was barely formed. Something powerful swept through her body, past the confusion and the fear…settling at her very core, in her heart. She was going to have a daughter! Tara felt a sense of peace descend, not completely dissolving her fear and yet giving her a measure of confidence. She would protect the life growing inside her…even if it meant leaving behind everything she knew. _

_Tara looked up in fright. Okay…how the hell did I go from freaking out to accepting the fact that I'm a mother…oh god, oh god, oh god._

_She was seeing stars when her grandmother returned, the edges of her vision gradually folding in on her. _

"_Breathe Tara, just breathe," Aurelia was saying as she came to fold Tara into her arms. _

_Tara lent her head against her chest, a firm hand stroked her hair even as her shoulders began to shake. _

"_I can't do this," Tara whispered. _

_Aurelia pushed her backwards and held her at arms length, she pressed something into Tara's palm. The young blonde glanced down to see a wad of carefully folded bills. She glanced back up sharply. _

"_It's all I've got. Drive my truck into town and get yourself on a bus. Anywhere, just as long as it's going far away from here."_

"_A bus?" Tara asked weakly._

"_It's safer."_

_Tara shook her head stubbornly, there were so many questions flooding her mind they all tried to spill forth at once, "Where? How will I know when to stop? I can't leave you here! Can I not go home?"_

"_No! You can never go home again, or anywhere he can find you! You must…go!"_

"So I went," Tara took a sip of her almost cold tea, her hands were shaking. "I got on a bus and just kept heading east. The whole time trying to reason out where I was going and what I would do. I began to think…and hope that my grandmother had been wrong," Tara looked up at Giles, remembering those times and the fear she had felt at leaving her home behind without the slightest notice. "And yet for some reason…I knew there was life inside me. I arrived in this city with almost nothing, searching for…I don't know, a sign."

"That's the day you first set foot in my store," Giles remembered fondly.

"You offered me a job."

"How could I not? You were the prettiest girl that ever walked into my store," Giles smiled. "And you knew the difference between newt and salamander eyes."

"There is no difference," Tara replied promptly, "Except to the price tag."

Giles nodded, then his face became serious once more. "The spell Tara…where does it come into all of this?"

"My grandmother had one last gift to me besides money…a protection spell known as Heart's fire."

Giles paled instantly. "A powerful spell. It renders you invisible to dark magicks - meaning no one can use dark magic to find you and, depending on the strength of the caster, it also has the ability to repel dark magicks. I've researched it in depth because I once considered using it to protect Faith. However, to cast it requires a power that I could never have. It is a spell so powerful it consumes the life force of the one who casts…" Giles studied Tara's reaction, if she had seemed sad before it was nothing in comparison to the expression on her face now. She cast a tiny glance inside, where Ashley was busy with her Lego blocks, a glance that almost confirmed Giles' suspicions and he continued in a soft but urgent voice. "Or those who cast it…Tara?"

"My grandmother had a lot of power," Tara whispered. "But it wasn't enough."

_Tara had the key in the ignition of her grandmother's truck, she was about to turn it when she froze all of a sudden. There was something powerful at work. She opened the truck's door and bolted back into the house. Her grandmother was sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor, surrounded in a glowing ball of yellow light. Her face was showing the strain of whatever spell she was casting. Her brow wrinkled in pain. _

"_Grandmother?" Tara stretched her hand out towards the ball. _

"_Tara…" Aurelia's voice was strained. "Go!"_

_Tara set her jaw determinedly and in one swift movement stepped into the circle. Feeling her skin burn as she passed through the golden barrier. She sat opposite her grandmother and linked hands with her. Immediately she felt her energy being drained from her body. It was as though something were reaching inside of her, deep down and drawing out her essence through the very pores of her skin. She felt as though she was being ripped apart and her mouth opened in a cry of soundless pain. The ball surrounding them grew blindingly bright until Tara had to shut her eyes. There was a deafening white noise in her ears for a few seconds and then all was suddenly silent…her grandmother's hands went limp in her own as she fell forward into her lap. Tara opened her eyes and gently shifted to support the old woman better. Her eyes were closed and her breathing laboured. _

"_Why…did you step into…the circle?" she gasped._

"_You needed help," Tara replied, smoothing the pale blonde hair out of her eyes tenderly. "What on earth were you casting?"_

"_Heart's…fire…to…protect the two of you…" her breathing became shallower by the second. "But now you're a part of it..."_

"_Grandmother?" Tara whispered. _

"_Go kiddo….always love you."_

_She smiled softly and with a last shudder her breathing stopped altogether and she went completely still in Tara's arms. Tara stared, unable to comprehend what had just happened. She was dead. The person she loved more than anything was dead after casting a spell Tara had never heard of._

"I did a lot of research on Heart's fire. During the times you were out of the store of course, and everything you said is true." Tara sighed, one hand resting on the pane of the glass door as she watched Ashley. "I don't regret what I did. I don't know why she is important and I don't know who she's important to…but I do know I would gladly die for her."

"Tara," Giles said in a broken voice.

Tara sighed. "It's failing anyway…at least I think it is. Someone did find me."

"Who, Tara?" Giles asked urgently. "Are you in danger?"

"No," Tara shook her head. "At least…I'm not sure but I can feel the spell working to push her away and I want it to stop…I want her to stay with me but at the same time I know that's impossible."

Giles' had a realisation. "Willow," he said softly.

"Yes," Tara ducked her head.

Giles grabbed Tara by both shoulders and pulled her around to face him, when she lifted her head there were fresh tears in her eyes. "Tara…is Willow a witch?"

"No!" Tara snapped furiously, refusing to believe that Willow was concealing her true identity. She drew in a hasty gulp of air to calm her racing heartbeat. "I mean…I don't think…I don't feel that she is. The magicks lie dormant."

"The dark magicks," Giles emphasised.

Tara had to concede his point and she nodded. "There is darkness within her…a powerful magic I felt when we first met. The Heart's fire spell is trying to push her away and yet at the same time there is something drawing her to me, Giles, I want her close despite what her presence does to me. Each time she leaves it's as though she's taking a part of me with her."

"You're in love with her?"

Tara was shocked by such a question coming from the older Englishman. "I-I don't know. I do wish I had the chance…I want to be given the chance to know her, to explore what it is that I…f-feel for her."

"Even though Willow is the type of person your grandmother died protecting you from?" Giles asked matter-of-factly.

"Willow doesn't know what is inside her."

"You're thinking maybe we can help her?" Giles knew the young woman too well. She would never pass up an opportunity to help anyone.

"Maybe," Tara breathed. _I hope so!_

Giles studied the wistful expression on Tara's face, an expression he very rarely saw unless she was with her daughter. In this particular instance he knew that it was a certain red head her thoughts were dwelling upon.

"Willow Rosenberg aside, Tara, I think the spell has served the purpose for which it was intended. Your grandmother's sacrifice allowed you to find a new home and people that care about you and your daughter very much."

"You think I should revoke the Heart's fire?" Tara asked slowly.

"I know you want to protect Ashley but your father is dead and although I know better than to say the danger has passed. I think it is pointless to sacrifice your life to maintain the Heart's Fire spell. You know Faith and I will do anything to protect the both of you," Giles' brow furrowed. "And what if the spell starts taking Ashley's life force after it's done with you?"

"You think I would let something like that happen?" Tara shook her head quickly. "No, it can't. I can't explain why but what my grandmother had…what my mother had…what runs in my veins, Ashley doesn't have it. I mean, I'm her mother, I'd feel it if she did. Trust me, there's nothing for the spell to take."

"I never realised," Giles said quietly. "I just assumed you would instruct her when you decided she was ready…even so, a revocation would still save your life."

"My grandmother said 'they.' It wasn't just my father." Although even as she said it Tara couldn't take her eyes off her daughter. "I can't Giles."

Faith entered the lounge and joined Ashley in the construction of her Lego town. The Slayer said something amusing to cause Ashley to laugh loudly. Tara could hear it from outside and it stung painfully. Faith pounced on the young girl, tickling her which sent her into even wilder fits of giggles. When Ashley tried to squirm away, she was picked up and swung around the room, still laughing uncontrollably. Faith looked up and saw Tara and Giles watching, coming to the conclusion that the looks on their faces were ones of reprimand for her boisterous behaviour. She smiled apologetically and the two 'children' went back to playing sedately with the Lego.

Tara would die for Ashley without question…but by no means was she wanting to rush headfirst into that death. If she maintained the spell, it would gradually consume her life and she would die. There were some days when she felt it already, drawing on her strength, leaving her exhausted. The question was how long could she keep it up? One year? Ten?

"I'm scared Giles. What if something does find us?"

"If it ever does, we'll be waiting."

Tara sighed. "I'll do it…I'll revoke the spell."

"And then we can decide what to do about Ms Rosenberg," Giles added quietly.

"That scares me too," Tara whispered.

* * *

Willow stared blankly in the bathroom mirror as she brushed her teeth as vigorously as she possibly could. She lost herself in the mundane task, just watching the movement before she realised she was becoming scarily engrossed in the act of brushing. Spitting the paste out, she buried her head under the faucet. Willow lost herself beneath the flow of cool water, as though it might wash away her strange behaviour of late. The water ran down over her cheek, and dribbled down her chin. She cupped her hands beneath the flow and splashed her entire face, squeezing her eyes shut for a few moments while she fumbled for a towel. Willow daubed at her face before lifting her head to stare into the mirror.

_Black_

Willow saw her own pale visage staring back at her, a last few rivulets of water snaking down the planes and curves of skin. And in the centre were two coal black eyes instead of her familiar green ones. They stared back at her, huge, dark and empty. An ice-cold feeling gripped her entire body.

She blinked once and opened her eyes to find her ordinary green eyes staring back at her, wide with confusion. Willow frowned and peered intently into the mirror, studying her eyes for any hint of the dark hue she had just seen…was she beginning to see things now? Willow shivered and she quickly left the bathroom to make her last preparations before bed.

A few minutes later she flopped into her bed and drew a blanket up over her head, trying to get that image of herself with black eyes out of her head. First thing tomorrow she would go to the Magic Box.

Her eyes turning black, or seeing Tara again - Willow wasn't entirely sure which was more terrifying.


	6. Do You Believe in Magic?

**Chapter Six**  
**Do You Believe in Magic?**

_1996_

"_Libby?" someone was shaking her gently, "Libby!"_

_The tiny, frail woman named Libby opened her hazel eyes to find herself staring into the eyes of one of the other Coven members. She moved her head slowly to see each and every one of them was staring at her as though they expected her to drop dead at any second. For their benefit she managed a weak nod before turning her gaze back to the woman kneeling in front of her. She was a slender women with her greying hair swept back into an elegant knot. Her still beautiful features twisted in concern as she gently reached out for Libby's shoulders to help support her._

"_Thank the goddess, I was just about to slap you," the other women said with more than a hint of reproach in her voice._

"_I'm alright Aggie," Libby could barely manage a whisper._

_Libby managed to pry her fingers away from the small crystal she held. It hung on a fine chain around her neck and seemed to be glowing faintly - giving off an aura of its own. She sagged against Aggie as she helped her from the hard floor to her feet. Her hip was playing up again but despite that she gripped her friend's shoulders fiercely. She had to tell her._

"_Aggie," she said weakly but with a note of urgency in her voice._

_Aggie met her gaze evenly, the furrow in her brow deepening at the look on Libby's face. "What's wrong, what did you see?"_

_Libby looked at the members of the Coven, six where there were once many more. As of a few moments ago they had been seven…but now…_

"_Aurelia," Libby whispered in a pained voice._

_She met Aggie's eyes which had widened at the mention of that name. "Aggie, I'm so sorry…she's dead," Libby sagged into Aggie's arms, feeling as though all her strength had deserted her…which was not at all far from the truth._

_Aggie helped the exhausted woman into stuffed armchair before she too collapsed wearily into a nearby sofa, still keeping a gentle hand on Libby's knee. Through glazed eyes she stared at the five other women in the room. To the casual observer they merely appeared to be a group of ladies meeting for a knitting circle or some equally stereotypical activity favoured by grandmothers._

_As she looked at her friends…family really, Aggie saw something entirely different. She saw six very powerful women…brave women who had spent the majority of their lives fighting against an evil that few knew even existed. Events were all heading much too swiftly to climax…their careful plans were being fought against every step of the way…and now one of their number was dead…_

_Aurelia…_

_In another lifetime they had been lovers. Aggie remembered the strong young girl she had fallen in love with at college. Any happiness they might had found with one another was thwarted by the time in which they lived. They had both acquiesced to their parents wishes, making good marriages…having children…but always staying in contact with one another for the sake of the Coven. No matter how painful it was to be constantly reminded of their unrequited love they had a vital role to play that was greater than any of them. There were innocents they had to protect…just as those who had lived and died before them had done._

"_What happened?" Aggie asked in a shaky voice._

"_They got to Aurie's girl first…she died casting a protection spell over her."_

"_Tara?" Aggie asked in a quiet but urgent voice. "Is she alright?"_

"_She's pregnant," Libby said and a quiet dread settled over everyone in the room._

"_Goddess!" another woman exclaimed._

"_That wasn't supposed to happen," a voice belonging to a gentle-looking black woman spoke up from the doorway._

"_Damn that bastard Maclay!" Aggie spat angrily. "I knew he would fall prey to them. I bet he succumbed as soon as Diana was gone, I knew it!"_

"_I couldn't see any of those events. I just know Tara is running…I could feel her…she's terrified but she's coming this way, she'll find us."_

"_We'll make sure she does," the black woman spoke up again._

"_You'll take care of it Rose?" Aggie asked her._

"_Of course," Rose nodded as she replied in a confident voice._

_A tall, angular woman with a pinched face and her hair pulled back into a stern bun came to stand in the centre of the room. She looked more like a retired schoolmistress than a powerful witch._

"_Aurelia was Tara's guardian," she spoke in a clipped voice with a German accent. "Has a guardian been assigned to the child?"_

"_You know one would have Gerda, as soon as it was conceived," Aggie replied wearily, feeling much older than her actual age all of a sudden._

"_This child is going to be in more danger than any of the others…we must make every effort."_

"_Yes, every effort," a previously silent woman spoke up in quiet tones._

"_We can give whoever it is power…magicks," Gerda spoke up._

"_Can we do that?" Rose asked disbelievingly._

"_Yes we can! We must!" Gerda insisted._

"_We can but that doesn't mean we should!" Aggie found her fire returning. She knew that Aurelia wouldn't want grief to reduce her to inactivity, not when she was needed the most. "There is a good reason magick is hereditary. It requires years of instruction to learn how to control it properly. Just imagine giving untold amounts of power to someone completely unaware of its potential for diaster and destruction!"_

"_One of us can instruct them!" Gerda wasn't about to give up the fight so easily. "They will be drawn to the child anyway. We'll find them."_

"_She's strong," Libby whispered, she sat upright in her chair, her eyes closed as she gripped the small crystal once more._

"_Libby!" Aggie gripped her knee fiercely and the seer's eyes opened slowly. "You'll kill yourself if you keep this up!"_

_Libby smiled weakly. "You know me Agatha, always trying to push the limits. Anyway…she's strong, the guardian…I think we should do it…I have a feeling she's going to need every bit of what we can give her."_

_She made to stand, waving Aggie's help away with a quick flick of her hand. The other five women all came to meet her in the centre of the room. All six women stood in a ragged sort of circle like a group of school children at lunchtime._

"_This one is female then?" Gerda asked. "The guardian?"_

_Libby nodded and a small smile creased her face. "A girl…her name is Willow," Libby chuckled. "Like the tree…and I get the distinct impression that she's connected to Tara."_

"_But she's the child's guardian right?" Rose asked with a frown._

"_Yes she is," Libby nodded and her grin became a warm smile. "But she's also Tara's soul mate. They'll find each other."_

"_Only to discover that they're caught in the middle of an evil that has been brewing for centuries…and they are the ones who are going to have to face it!" Rose added insistently._

_Aggie nodded, the signs were clear…after half a dozen centuries it was very nearly upon them. "With our help," she added firmly._

_With a flick of her wrist she closed the heavy curtains in the room, plunging the room into semi darkness before she lit a few candles with another flick. They were all bathed in a soft golden glow as they came together. Hands were linked as they eased stiff joints into sitting positions. Libby wincing faintly as her hip protested as she settled cross legged on the floor._

"_Who was the idiot that decided we have to sit cross-legged?" she asked. "Will we still be able to do this in our wheelchairs?"_

_Aggie looked at the brave attempt at a smile on her dear friend's face and she gripped her hand a little tighter._

"_Lib, I am not sure you should be in this circle," her friend was still looking pale and withdrawn from her exertion earlier._

_Libby smiled at her as they linked hands, "This requires all of us…and I'm certainly not going to let you girls do it without me…besides, who else is going to focus the spell on the guardian?"_

_The elderly woman closed her eyes, drawing energy from the circle linked with her and using the crystal at her throat to reach out once more. Her thoughts and energies quested outwards, further east towards the young woman who at this point in time was completely unaware of her destiny. She found her easily enough, forming a picture of her in her mind and sending it out to the other Coven members. A small, red headed girl sitting at her desk, head bowed over a book. They saw her so clearly they could see the way a small, pink piece of tongue peeked from the corner of her mouth as she concentrated._

_Libby felt the Coven's energy pouring into her, so much of it she thought she would burst from the effort required to focus it all. She knew each woman there was giving as much as she possibly could. Ever so gently she sent it outwards so as not to frighten the young woman on the receiving end. Indeed, she did not even notice anything as she continued her studies._

_Suddenly she felt another presence besides those of her fellow Coven members and the teenage girl…something foul and oily trying to slip through their shields. Someone else in the circle whimpered in fear. Libby could see the darkness now, merging with their magickal energies. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she tried to keep it away._

"_We must stop it," Aggie was saying through clenched teeth, "Someone's corrupting our empowering spell!"_

_Together the Coven worked to force the intruder back but even as they were slowly succeeding, Gerda let out a blood-curdling scream. Libby opened her eyes to see an awful, shadowy beast at the centre of their circle. It did not appear to be real…and yet Gerda lay with her throat slit, blood staining the rug beneath her._

_At that moment, the Coven lost their hold on the spell. The power found it's target, sending the young woman into unconsciousness and yet the power that found her was not just that which the Coven had given. The intruding darkness had probably corrupted it completely, turning what was magic given in love to something altogether evil…a power that few could possibly control._

_Aggie watched in panic as the remaining Coven members tried to defend themselves. The thing that hung in the air was seemingly without form, resistant to every effort. She had to watch her friends die…until she was the last one left…_

_The link to the girl was closing fast, yet Aggie knew what she had to do. The magic they had ended up giving her was undoubtedly powerful…and yet she knew few could resist the corruption…it would overwhelm her. She had to bind it…even though she had very little time left. Even as she formed the first words, Aggie felt something chilling close around her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut as it began to tear into her body. Through her pain, Aggie tried desperately to concentrate on the words for the binding spell. She had very little time left…she was so very tired._

"_That which we gave…bind now_

_Darkness and Light_

_Till the time it is needed…"_

_Aggie winced in pain as she felt it's talon dig into her flesh, her strength was waning all too fast as her consciousness began to fade, her vision grew black and the spell was incomplete…unfinished, but it would have to do as she had nothing left to give._

"_Die witch!" a horrible voice hissed inside her mind._

_Even as it ripped apart the fragile flesh of her body, Aggie had a smile on her face. She was going to be with the woman who in another lifetime she had been separated from. Her task was done…it was up to the next generation to avert what was coming…_

* * *

_1996...a thousand miles away_

_Willow Rosenberg woke on the floor of her room, her clothes were soaked in sweat. As she dragged herself up into a sitting position she could not recall how she had got there nor what she had being doing. Her brain pounded inside her skull, as though something were frantically trying to get out. She clamped her hands to her temples in a vain effort to lessen the pain. _

_Even a gentle knock at the door made her wince. _

"_Willow?" it was her mother. "Willow honey…are you alright? I heard a crash." _

"_Um…yeah," Willow replied weakly. "Just knocked some stuff over."_

"_It's past midnight? Are you still studying?"_

"_I'm going to bed now." Just the thought of looking at her books again made her head pound ferociously. _

"_Good night then."_

"_Night Mom."_

_Feeling drained and exhausted, Willow crawled on all fours until she reached her bed. She pulled herself up and collapsed atop the covers, asleep before her head hit the pillow and oblivious to the power that now lay inside her. _

* * *

_**The Present**_

Willow already felt as though she had been standing outside the Magic box for at least an hour when she finally found the courage to reach out for the door handle. Her hand was shaking as her fingers closed around it, pausing before expending the last amount of effort it would require to actually turn it.

_Tara's behind this door…the woman that very sensibly thinks I'm a complete and absolute jerk…oh god, I can't do this!_ Willow felt her heart start to beat wildly, threatening to burst from her chest. She jerked her hand away from the door handle and bent over, resting her hands on her knees to calm herself before she did something incredibly stupid like fainting.

Willow straightened after giving herself a moment, steeling herself further with some deep breathing. Her hand stretched towards the door handle ever so slowly. Just as she was inhaling deeply for the last time, the door swung inwards and Willow almost fell face forward right into Faith. The brunette did not even bat an eye when she saw Willow standing there with a shell-shocked look on her face. Faith's eyes narrowed and she drew the door shut at precisely the same moment her hand shot out and grabbed Willow by the scruff of her neck.

Willow gasped as she was yanked upwards until only her tiptoes were still in contact with the ground. Although she found herself above Faith's eye level, she felt as though she were being looked down upon.

"Well?" Faith demanded in a deadly serious voice.

"Well what?" Willow squeaked.

"What do you want? What are your intentions towards her?"

"My intentions? I…came to apologise, that's all. I just want to say I'm sorry."

"You think she wants to hear that from you?" Faith cocked her head to one side as she studied Willow

"I don't know!" Willow struggled in a vain effort to try and ground her feet. The feeling of being held up by this remarkably strong young woman was unsettling to say the least. "I just wanted to say it…I acted like a moron."

"You got that right, Red," Faith said without a trace of doubt in her voice. "I supposed I have better let you go. I might get done for obstructing the work of justice."

Faith smirked as she let go suddenly. Willow stumbled slightly before she regained her footing. She straightened out her shirt collar indignantly, waiting for the other woman to leave her alone so she could get back to the slow but important task of opening the door.

Faith however, did it for her, ushering her inside with a firm shove in the small of her back. Before she knew it, Willow was inside and completely lacking in the dignity and composure she needed to be able to pull this apology off. She found herself straightening up again for the second time in less than a minute. However when her gaze met those blue eyes once more, her mind went completely blank.

Tara was standing at the table nearest the door. She had been carefully unloading a new shipment of candles. Willow fell through the door just as she went to place the last one and in her shock she set it down on the edge of the table without realising it. All her attention was focused on Willow even after the candle hit the floor and went rolling down the stairs.

Willow watched the candle until it stopped rolling, and even then she could not bring herself to look at Tara despite wanting to more than anything in the world. She tipped her head up slowly, watching Tara from beneath her eyelashes - captivated by every curve of her pale face.

_How on earth could I have been so stupid as to ruin things with her?_ Willow asked herself. _Say something winning…something smooth!_

_She is so cute!_ Tara let out a slow, long breath, hoping Willow wouldn't see it and know just how nervous she was. _Stop it Tara…how can you say she's cute after what happened…after what you did to her? But I didn't do anything!_

Tara's brow furrowed for a split second, it was hard to believe the lithe redhead standing in front of her had anything but laughter inside her. She knew full well she should ask Willow to leave and never come back. That was the very last thing she wanted. She wanted Willow to stay.

"I'm sorry!" Tara blurted out at precisely the same moment as Willow.

Tara ducked her head and Willow suddenly found the essence of slug candles Tara had been unpacking very interesting indeed before she looked up again.

"No, I'm sorry!" they both said again.

Willow raised her hands in a silent surrender, trying to keep a serious face even though she felt the urge to start laughing at the pair of them stumbling over each other to apologise. "Please Tara…aren't you supposed to be mad at me?"

"For what?" Tara grinned.

Willow couldn't quite bring herself to return the smile. "Tara…I acted like a complete moron…a horny moron! You can't possibly have forgotten!"

"No I haven't and…y-yes you did," Tara replied with a degree of solemnity.

Willow sighed. "I don't know how to convey just how sorry I am Tara. If only you would believe me when I say I am not normally like that. I mean I have class and finesse and control over my emotions and-" Willow was just about to launch into a long and detailed list of her usually winning qualities.

"Willow, slow down. I do believe you!" Tara interrupted smoothly, glad her stutter had decided to take a holiday. "I'm thinking…I-I should g-g-give-" _Stupid stutter! Stop it, Maclay!_ "I should give you a second chance to show me the real Willow Rosenberg…if you want to accept it?"

"Hell yes!" Willow blurted out before composing herself and replying in a tremulous voice. "Um, yeah…I'd like that."

"Good," Tara's cheeks went red and she ducked her head in what Willow had begun to understand was a trademark gesture. "Because I would very much like that as well."

Willow really wished she wouldn't do it around her, she did not like to see her beautiful blue eyes disappear as they stared at the floor. Tara should never have to bow her head to anyone. However, just as Willow was about to reach out and tilt Tara's chin back up the tiny bell above the door jingled to single the arrival of a new customer. Tara jerked her head up just as Willow quickly tucked her hand back at it side.

"I'll just be a few minutes," Tara excused herself and went to serve the customer who was obviously in need of assistance.

Willow browsed the shelves of ancient looking tomes distractedly as she waited for Tara to finish serving her customer. Her eyes fell across a book entitled Greaves' Dictionary of Magical Terms and she wondered for a moment. Glancing over her shoulder to check that Tara was still engrossed in her customer, Willow picked up the massive book and began to flick through it. She was searching for some clue as to why her eyes might have turned black. Willow did not even know why she had instinctively thought it must have something to do with magic. Although to her mind it seemed the most obvious culprit. There was no rational or logical explanation for it so therefore it must have been something mystical.

_Great, Rosenberg…since when did you even believe in magic?_ she asked herself wryly as she flicked through the pages of the massive tome, all the while keeping Tara in view from the corner of her eye, _Well…considering it's either magic…or me going crazy and I'm not willing to consider the latter yet!_

Willow found nothing under 'black eyes', she didn't expect to be able to get such a literal answer anyway. Under 'eyes' she merely found the various types of eyes which went well in potions and spells…newt, salamander…frogs…sheep…Willow wrinkled her nose.

_What else could I look under?_

She glanced back to Tara who was laughing freely as she helped her customer. She wished fervently she could ask the blonde what it might mean.

_What would I say? Umm, Tara, listen, I was looking in my bathroom mirror last night and my eyes turned completely black. Am I crazy or am I turning into some sort of evil…dark thing?_ Willow sighed, either way it didn't sound promising, _Dark!_

Willow flicked through the pages until she reached the 'D's, her eyes coming to rest on 'Dark Magicks.' The entry was particularly long, well over a few pages in length and most of it was like gibberish to Willow as it talked about energies and corruption of the soul. She skimmed quickly, looking for anything to do with a person's eyes turning black.

"Did you find anything interesting?" Tara's gentle voice said behind her.

Willow squeaked in fright and slammed the dictionary shut as Tara came to stand in front of her. She grinned apologetically at the blonde as she jammed the book back into it's spot on the shelf.

Willow stuffed her hands in her jacket pockets. "Um, no, just browsing, reading y'know because I love books! Books are fantastic and I just can't get enough of them," Willow couldn't put a halt to the word salad that kept pouring out of her mouth.

Tara arched an eyebrow, a small smile gracing her face. "Really? What are your favourites?"

"Anything with hot lesbian loving," Willow replied promptly before she had time to stop herself.

She blushed bright red beneath Tara's scrutiny, beginning to believe that her foot lived permanently in her mouth whenever she was around the beautiful blonde woman. It took her completely by surprise when Tara burst into musical laughter.

"Sarah Waters?"

Willow nodded enthusiastically. "I had to replace my copy of Tipping the Velvet because I read it so often it fell to pieces…but I actually don't get to read a lot of fiction. Mostly I'm stuck reading scholarly work-type stuff – scientific reports, criminology texts…Maxim."

"I was under the impression Maxim was a men's magazine not a scholarly text?" Tara asked in a serious voice.

Willow grinned and replied in a noticeably softer voice, "It can be hard work looking at a gorgeous woman…" she squeaked in fright. "I mean, gorgeous women, plural, not woman because that would imply I was talking about you."

It was Tara's turn to blush bright red and she ducked her head yet again.

"What about Harry Potter?" Tara changed the subject despite the fact she wanted to tell Willow she was just as gorgeous.

Willow bounced on the balls of her feet with barely restrained energy. "Yeah, Buffy dragged me along to the first movie."

"Buffy?" Tara asked dubiously.

"Oh! My best friend and partner – not in the sense of partner as in smoochie partner but detective, work-type partner. She's nothing like her name suggests…" Willow frowned and thought for a moment, "Well, actually she is blonde and gorgeous…much like a short Barbie doll…although without the oversize boobies," Willow gulped. "Um, you might have seen her at the Bronze?"

Tara shook her head, she only had eyes for a beautiful red head wearing black boots.

"Well, you'll met her one day," Willow said confidently, as though it was a given that she and Tara would be friends at least. "I'm sure you'll like her."

"I'm sure I will too…if she can put up with you then I'm bound to like her."

"Hey!" Willow spluttered playfully. "We barely know each other and already you feel you can make fun of me!"

"Isn't that a good thing?" Tara asked quietly.

"Yeah…I guess so…" Willow replied.

"Um, back to Harry Potter!" Tara said quickly as things became awkward once more.

"Oh right, yeah, Buffy dragged me along to the first movie and now I'm very much converted. I can't get enough of the books or the movies!"

Tara smiled warmly. "For someone who doesn't believe in magic you don't have a problem reading about it?"

Willow blinked. "I never said I didn't believe in magic!"

"Yes you did," Tara replied with a grin. "You do now?"

"Well…maybe…just in terms of our case that's all," Willow admitted guiltily. _And I'm not crazy!_ "It's just unusual things have been happening and I guess I'm opening up to the idea that there might be mystical forces out there beyond my understanding…and oh! This is why I came here today…" Willow fumbled in her pocket for the small packet of substance she had found in the dead infant's room. "Besides the fact that I needed to apologise..." she handed it to Tara. "Can you tell me what it is?"

Tara held it up for just a moment before nodding quickly. "Of course, it's hellebore."

"Hellebore?" Willow asked. "What does that do?"

"Well, it's very powerful…it has many uses…which circle was it in?"

"The infant's," Willow replied promptly, her face saddened. "There was a small child…"

"Goddess," Tara whispered, her eyes watering slightly. "Though I meant which type of circle…assuming that the symbols were the same as last time?"

"They were," Willow nodded, thinking for just a moment before continuing. "The upside down banishment symbol…that's the one."

"Curiouser," Tara replied still looking at the bag, "Not only was the symbol upside down but hellebore is not used in banishment symbols. It seems almost as though…hmmmm…."

"Hmmmm?" Willow asked at Tara's pensive expression.

"Um, I'm not quite sure…I-I'm going to ask a few people what they think. Can I get back to you?" she asked, handing the bag back to Willow.

"Sure, you can keep that if you want," Willow indicated the hellebore.

Tara shook her head. "We sell it here."

Willow's eyes widened as she had a realisation after hearing Tara's words. "Tara, can you get me a list of all the people who have purchased it…say, in the last month?"

"Willow, those records are c-confidential!"

"Tara, this is a criminal investigation…" Willow began, ready to bat her eyelashes and flaunt cleavage if it came to that.

Tara however did not require such incentives. "I-I know…and I want to help anyway I can…especially in light of…well, it's a-a-awful. I-I'll e mail them to you as soon as I can okay? Do you really think whoever it is would walk into the local magic store to make a purchase though?"

Willow shrugged. "It's worth a try."

She drew out a card from her jacket pocket, her e mail address was on it. She handed it to Tara, also knowing full well that it listed both her work and her cell numbers as well. Tara took it with a nod.

"So you're beginning to think magic might have a role in this case."

"Perhaps…still seems a little hokey to me though."

"You never know…you might have a talent for it?" Tara suggested with a small smile although the emotions that swirled beneath that smile were anything but flippant.

Willow laughed awkwardly. "I don't have any special talents…well, I can recite the entire periodic table but that's not really special…or even interesting for that matter. I have a photographic memory. Ummm, I do make fantastic chicken tikka masala!"

"I love Indian food, I might have to put that boast to the test," Tara smiled shyly.

Willow rocked on the balls of her feet again. "Just as good as any restaurant, I guarantee it! And I'm a really good kisser!" Willow stopped talking and blinked a few times, then her jaw dropped when she finally realised what she'd just said. "Um, did I just say what I thought I said?"

"What did you think you said?" Tara replied and Willow completely failed to pick up on the trace of amusement in her voice.

Willow's face was by now as red as her hair. "Um, that I'm a good kisser."

"No," Tara shook her head and Willow began to breathe a sigh of relief. "You said you're a really good kisser!"

"Are you mocking me, Miss Maclay?"

"Yes."

Willow wanted to stand in the store talking to the young woman all day long, it was as though their fight from Saturday night had been completely erased from their memories. However, she still had a job to do.

"Friday!" Willow blurted out suddenly.

"Friday?" Tara asked in a confused voice.

"Yes, great day of the week, my favourite in fact because work is over and there's a whole weekend to look forward to…and what I was really meaning to ask instead of getting carried away extolling Friday's virtues was, are you doing anything this Friday?" Willow finally managed to get it out, she kept her eyes fixed on her toes for the most part but kept sneaking little glances up to check the expression on Tara's face.

"I'd really like that."

"Great! Great!" Willow beamed, "Um, what's a good time for you? Seven o'clock?" Tara nodded and Willow's smile broadened. "Great! I'll swing by here at seven and we can do a drink and a movie? Er, unless you don't do drinks or movies?"

"Willow, that would be lovely," Tara couldn't wait until Friday.

"Okay! So I'll see you then!"

"I'll email you as soon as I can," Tara nodded.

Willow bounced again and turned to leave, almost knocking over a table laden with crystals as she did so. One was knocked right off and it was only her quick reflexes which prevented it from falling to the ground and smashing. She set it back down carefully with yet another apologetic smile.

"I should just get going before I break anything," Willow turned and made a beeline for the door.

"Um, Willow…" Tara's voice stopped her just as she was about to open the door.

"Yeah?" Willow turned.

"I-I…really hope you catch the people that are doing these terrible things," Tara said sincerely.

"Me too," Willow answered as she opened the door.

Willow closed the door of the Magic Box behind her and fumbled in her pocket for her car keys. A voice from behind her made her jump.

"Did you make her cry, Red?" Faith asked in a dry voice.

Willow spun to see the strange brunette sitting on a bench outside the store, smoking a cigarette.

"N-no, of course not!" Willow replied quickly, having absolutely no desire to be picked up off her feet again. "We're going out on Friday."

Faith raised her eyebrows in surprise. "That's just as bad," she said tersely.

Willow squeaked a hasty goodbye and almost ran to her car before Faith could pound her into a pulp. That was one very, very weird woman…and Willow knew she was going to tread extremely carefully around Tara on Friday for fear of ending up in a body bag somewhere.

* * *

Tara woke to the sound of a gentle but insistent rap on her door. Shrugging off the last vestiges of sleep she flicked on her bedside lamp and glanced at the clock to see it was almost two in the morning.

"Yes?"

The door swung inwards to reveal Ashley standing there clutching Bryson against her chest.

"Mom, there's a monster under my bed."

Tara gasped slightly and threw back the covers in a flash. She quickly moved to shield Ashley as she peered down the corridor at the door to Ashley's room. The words formed on her lips for a fireball casting spell. Ashley peered up at her with a bemused smile on her face.

"Mom…" she said, tugging at Tara's sleeve. "Mom!"

"Shhhh….stay here," Tara placed a gentle hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Mom, I was lying," Ashley admitted in a small voice. "There's nothing under my bed…I-I just wanted to sleep in your bed."

Tara looked down at Ashley who was staring up at her with a sheepish look on her face. She frowned lightly in rebuke before making a grab for the girl.

"Come here you little rascal!"

Ashley giggled and evaded her mother's grasp easily as she made a dash for the bed. She leapt up into it and was safely ensconced in the covers by the time her mother reached her. Tara pulled the covers away from her head and kissed her soundly on the cheek.

"Mom!" Ashley made a face of disgust as she tried to wriggle away.

Tara wrapped her arms around the squirming little girl and tucked her in close to her body as she drew the covers up over the both of them. It did not take long for Ashley to drift off into the deep and peaceful slumber of a little girl who knew she was completely safe in her mother's arms.

It took Tara much longer for sleep refused to come while her mind was so busy with thoughts. She could not deny the fact that she was completely smitten by Willow Rosenberg. Every part of her body ached to feel the red head's lithe body pressed against her own. Willow looked strong for her size as well…and she was probably exceptionally good in bed. Tara felt her cheeks flame in the darkness her thoughts…

The darkness…the darkness that lay within Willow scared her…not for her own sake, but Ashley's. If she were thinking straight she would have told Willow to get lost in no uncertain terms and never ever come back. However, the very thought of never seeing her again was enough to make Tara feel decidedly miserable.

Ashley shifted slightly in her arms and she gently kissed the top of the girls forehead, keeping her tucked in close.

"Don't worry sweetie, your Mama hasn't lost all her sense…yet," Tara whispered.


	7. Queen of Monopoly

**Chapter Seven**  
**The Queen of Monopoly**

Willow stared down at the list of names and addresses on her touch pad, carefully marking off each one that they had already checked. It was the list Tara had emailed her of the people who had purchased hellebore from the Magic Box in the past month. As it turned out it was not a popular item to purchase - only five people having brought it. It had been simple enough for Willow to match the names to addresses on her trusty device.

Buffy pulled up their unmarked squad car outside the second to last address. She turned the key and the engine settled into silence. However she made no move to get out of the car. Instead a wry grin settled on her face as she stared at Willow for a few moments.

"I'd really like to know how you got that list, Will," Buffy commented. Willow let out an exasperated grunt and practically threw her own door open. As both detectives exited the car, Buffy continued, "Something tells me that it was not through official channels."

"Buff…" Willow began, a dangerous tone in her voice.

"Yes?" Buffy asked eagerly.

"Shut it," she growled.

Buffy just smirked and looked up at the quaint, narrow townhouse in front of them. Carefully manicured window boxes were a riot of late spring colour and a black cat sat patiently on the porch. Willow doubled checked the address and had an annoying feeling of déjà vu. It was almost exactly the same as the last four houses they had visited. All occupied by little old ladies who swore that hellebore was very effective for ridding roses of aphid infestations.

"Your girlfriend could've told you this stuff is as common as garden fertiliser," Buffy growled as they walked up to the front door, the cat rubbing at her leg as though she were an old friend.

Willow reached out her finger and pressed the doorbell once. "Firstly, she's not my girlfriend…and secondly, this stuff isn't common, it's just…"

The door swung open to reveal a tiny old woman, her wild grey hair doing its best to escape from the bun atop her head. At first she did not even see Willow and Buffy but instead her attention went to the small black cat that bounded inside.

"Oh, Miss Kitty, I completely forgot about you!" Just as Willow and Buffy were about to roll their eyes at one another the small woman looked up at them with a broad smile on her face. "And what can I do for you young ladies?"

"Mrs Gibbs? I'm Detective Rosenberg," Willow said nodding her head politely. "This is Detective Summers and we'd like to ask you a few questions if you have the time."

"Certainly, certainly, come on in," she ushered the two detectives inside with a wave of her hand.

Willow and Buffy entered the well-kept house that smelt faintly of cats. Indeed, as they walked through into the kitchen they found Miss Kitty watching protectively over a basket full of tiny kittens. Even as they watched, one ventured forth on stubby little legs. It practically fell out of the basket. Once it had discovered its new freedom it began to explore, watched over by its protective mother. Willow found herself smiling, she had always wanted a cat when she was young but her parents had only gone as far as to allow her a few goldfish.

"Have a seat, dears. Would you like a cup of tea?" Mrs Gibbs asked, indicating the kitchen table before crossing to the old fashioned kettle to fill it with water.

"Ah, no thank…" Willow began.

"That would be lovely," Buffy silenced Willow with a look.

Mrs Gibbs beamed happily before she turned her back on the pair to pull cups and saucers out of the cupboard. As her back was turned Willow raised her eyebrows questioning at Buffy.

The blonde replied in a low whisper, "We've been traipsing around all morning. I'm parched!"

And with that Willow was silent. They refrained from asking any questions until Mrs Gibbs had delivered two steaming cups of tea and two ample slices of some sort of cake smothered in a liberal amount of frosting.

"Now, you had some questions to ask me I believe?"

Willow took a polite sip of her tea. "Yes, Mrs Gibbs, are you familiar with the herb known as hellebore?"

A look of complete surprise passed over the elderly woman's face for just a moment before she quickly composed herself once more.

"Yes, I recently purchased some. I always thought it was quite legal, and completely harmless. It's not dangerous is it?"

"No, s'not," Buffy replied, her mouth completely full of cake.

"It is not," Willow clarified in case Mrs Gibbs had not managed to pick up what Buffy was saying through her food. "But we would like to know what your purpose was in purchasing it?"

"My roses of course," Mrs Gibbs replied quickly.

Buffy and Willow shared a small, hopeless glance. Willow felt Miss Kitty rub up against her leg. For some reason the black cat was purring loudly even though cats usually sensed Willow's hostility and steered well clear of her. She felt compelled to reach down and scratch the animal behind the ears. Miss Kitty purred even louder as Mrs Gibbs continued talking,

"But you must understand, they are prize winning roses you see. I would not use hellebore on a common garden rose, it's much too expensive. You only need a minute fraction…I would never use large quantities of it, I would never have even known to use it but for my dear friend Elizabeth Goldstein put me on to it. Libby was very knowledgeable about herbs and such."

"Was?" Willow asked, her fleeting hope quickly dashed.

Mrs Gibbs' face fell slightly. "Libby lived in Chicago and we used to correspond frequently. We went to high school together you see and always remained close despite moving away from one another. However, the last letter I sent in 1996 came back marked 'deceased', I never did find out how she died."

"Well…we're sorry to have troubled you Mrs Gibbs…but thank you very much for your help," Willow said, her chair scraping back as she rose to her feet.

"It's no problem at all…" Mrs Gibbs was saying as Buffy glared at Willow, annoyed at the interruption to her morning tea.

The blonde drained her tea in a few quick gulps and joined Willow in standing, the two detectives moved towards the hallway and the front door, followed by the curious black cat and Mrs Gibbs.

"If you need anything else, don't hesitate to call again."

"Thank you, Mrs Gibbs, have a good day," Willow said impatiently.

"Fanks for…cake," Buffy was still chewing.

* * *

Buffy and Willow pulled up outside the last address, an apartment block in a part of town neither would want to venture into after dark.

"Right, last one," Buffy checked the address against their list as she climbed out of the car.

"And we are not staying for a cup of tea!" Willow snapped as she slammed the car door behind her.

Buffy frowned at her best friend and partner as they walked up the front walk together. "Will, what's your problem?"

"Nothing," Willow muttered sullenly, feeling like a child for her impatience, "I mean…I'm just sick of the lack of info. We don't have anything at all pointing to the people who did this and this whole day has been a waste of time. I don't know why I thought this would get us anywhere. If you were going to commit a crime, you wouldn't just walk into the local magic store and buy the ingredients would you?"

"Why not? I seem to recall a redhead, who shall remain nameless, once telling me that any lead at all should be explored at the risk of missing something important. Do you remember that Detective?"

Willow glared at Buffy as they entered the building. Its walls were covered in a liberal amount of graffiti and litter was built up against the walls and in corners. Just as she pressed the button for the lift, Willow felt Buffy smack her in the arm. The blonde pointed to a sign tacked right in front of the red head which read, 'lift fucked.' Buffy grinned and started bounding up the stairs as only she could. Willow followed at a much more sedate pace.

"So?" Buffy called back down the stairs where Willow was already started to feel her heart rate lift, "Do you remember saying that?"

"No," Willow mumbled.

"Well, you did…so stop your whining and follow me!"

"I wasn't whining," Willow puffed, trying to keep up with Buffy who was taking the stairs two at a time.

Buffy reached the fifth floor well ahead of Willow, searching for the number on the door. She found it and knocked very sharply as Willow caught up to her. The redhead was puffing slightly just from the exertion of climbing up the stairs. Buffy looked at her and smirked widely.

"Getting a bit lazy in your old age are we?" she asked as she rapped on the door again. "You know, you are looking a little saggy around the middle these days."

"I am not!" Willow retorted angrily. "Just because you can't eat all the donuts you want and still look like that! Stop being bloody stupid, we're working."

Buffy looked at the door with a raised eyebrow. "Well, this isn't working," she pounded the door once more and altogether much louder this time.

"Buffy!" Willow hissed. "They're obviously not home, you don't need to disturb the entire building!"

There was a click of a door handle turning behind them and both detectives spun around to see a grey covered head peering out from behind a thick pair of glasses. The frail old man just stared at them for a few moments before actually speaking.

"What you ladies want with him?" his raspy voice gravelled out.

"Sir, do you know Mr Belov?" Buffy asked, deftly flicking open her ID.

"Weird bastard!" the old man snapped. "You come to arrest him?"

"Sir, have you seen him lately?" Willow was trying to remain patient.

"Nope…hasn't left his apartment in days…and I would know!"

Willow did not doubt that he would. He appeared to be the sort of person who closely observed comings and goings with military-like regularity. She glanced to Buffy and the blonde nodded. Buffy walked to the door, standing directly in front of her.

"Sir, if you don't open the door in the next ten seconds we're going to kick the door down!"

"We?" Willow asked dubiously.

Buffy shrugged and started counting down, "3…2…1…"

With an almost effortless kick the door went sailing inwards and both Buffy and Willow were greeted with an awful stench as they entered cautiously. The source of the stench was not just the disgustingly dirty state of the apartment…but a body lying face down on the floor. It was clear he had been dead for days, the blood surrounding him on the floor long since dried up. Both women wrinkled their noses at the smell as they edged closer to the body of the middle-aged man dressed in only a bathrobe.

"The door was locked from the inside," Willow commented needlessly. "Suicide?"

"How on earth would you stab yourself in the back?" Buffy was nearer the body, she could clearly see the stab wound. "Nothing about this makes sense," Buffy murmured as she fished in her pocket for her cell phone.

Willow on the other hand was pacing a small track of floor in anger. "Why are we always one step behind? All we do is play catch up to these monsters and I'm getting sick and tired of it!" Willow burst out angrily.

"It might not even be related," Buffy had to point out as she held her phone, about to dial.

"No…" Willow whispered hunkering down close to the floor. "It's related."

Buffy frowned. "What makes you think that?"

Willow stared down at the grimy floor. Her index finger hovered a few centimetres above the ground and traced out the occult symbol drawn on the floor in dry blood.

She sighed. "Because my spine is tingling."

* * *

Willow was bent over her desk, head down, pen flying when Buffy barged in late that afternoon. It was a typical Willow pose, deep in concentration and oblivious to any distractions. Or so it seemed. Even as Buffy watched, Willow would work furiously for a few moments and then stop as though she had a sudden and very important thought. This happened several times in the space of just a minute. Buffy snorted with laughter when she saw a very large ink stain on Willow's upper lip from where she had been sucking on her leaky pen.

Willow looked up as though only just realising that Buffy was in the room even though the blonde had entered the room with all the finesse of a bull.

"Why are you so jumpy this afternoon Willow, anyone would think you were on drugs?" Buffy plonked her butt down on Willow's desk.

Willow shrugged and immediately went back to tapping her ball point pen on the edge of her desk.

"You're seeing her aren't you?"

"Seeing who? No I'm not," Willow replied quickly…much too quickly.

"You are!" Buffy seized upon Willow's slip in concentration and grabbed her partner and best friend in a headlock, squeezing gently.

Willow flailed her arms helplessly as Buffy refused to let up, her actions demanding an answer. However, just as Willow was about to spill due to lack of oxygen, she was mercifully saved when her phone suddenly rang. Buffy immediately released a pink-faced Willow from the headlock. Willow picked up the ringing phone and answered with a brisk hello, all the while still glaring at Buffy.

* * *

"This is all most perplexing Tara, are you sure it was hellebore that the detectives found at the scene?" Giles asked as he studied the symbols in the books open around him. He looked up at Tara to find her glaring playfully and he smiled apologetically. "Of course it's hellebore. It shouldn't be though, it has no place in spells with either of these symbols as far as I know…maybe…"

He removed his glasses and began polishing vigorously as he always did when he was unsettled. Tara came to stand behind him, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder as though in reassurance.

"Maybe it's because it's something you don't know," she ventured quietly, knowing full well that Giles liked to think he knew almost everything when it came to the occult.

Giles spluttered, "Well, no…I'm sure if I…" he sighed. "You're very right, I don't know…I'm going to get on the phone with the Council and see if they have any references to hellebore being used in banishing spells…"

"Or spells of opening," Tara added thoughtfully. "How can you banish something and let it in at the same time?"

"Whatever its purpose, you were right to bring this to me Tara. I have a feeling this case is beyond the skills of our intrepid detectives."

"Willow is very bright," Tara was quickly to defend the red head, she blushed beneath Giles' scrutiny. "I mean, Detective Rosenberg is very capable and she seems very open to other explanations other than science or reason."

"Nevertheless, I'll have Faith see what she can pick up from the local demons about this cult…if it is a cult…and I'll get back to you as soon as possible if I learn anything from the Council."

Tara nodded before biting her lip, she did not know why she was so nervous asking Giles to baby sit Ashley. He had done it countless times in the past, and even while she was on a rare date. For some reason though, the fact that it was with Willow made her a little more conscious of the Englishman's opinion and whether he would approve her seeking to further her acquaintance with the detective. She settled for the bare facts.

"Giles…I'm going out on Friday, can you watch Ashley for me?"

Giles looked up at her with a regretful expression. "I'm sorry Tara but I'm going to Boston Friday morning. I'll be gone the entire weekend," the Magic Box's door opened and Faith sauntered in. "What about Faith?'

Tara's heart sank as she knew her last option was leaving Ashley with Faith. It was never a pleasant prospect when the baby sitter was a magnet for all the nasty things that lived in the city but as a last resort she would have to do.

"What about me?" Faith asked, coming up behind Tara to encircle her waist with muscular arms, her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "You want me to baby sit Ashley while you go bump pelvises with that cop?"

"Faith!" Tara snapped, squirming out of Faith's grip, "I'm not going to be bumping anything with Willow...but will you please?"

Faith looked genuinely sorry. "Tare, it's a Friday the 13th, natural party time for vamps. I can't sit at home at night, who knows what will be going down in the nasty little dark places around town…but what's to stop you from inviting Willow over here?"

Tara snorted. "I can't do that, I mean Ashley would be here…and what would we do?"

"Send Ashley to her room and have lots and lots of sex of course."

"Faith!" Tara snapped again in horror.

"See, precisely what I mean, you don't want to get down and dirty with Red anyway so why do you need to go out? Order pizza…rent a schmaltzy movie…just spend time with her. That's all you want isn't it T?" Faith asked.

For a few seconds both Giles and Tara could only stare at Faith, not quite believing the display of seriousness coming from the brunette. Giles found himself nodding and it was Tara's turn to stare at them both in bewilderment.

"I hate to say it, but it appears that Faith is right," Giles added.

"What is this? I'm being double-teamed!" Tara exclaimed even as Faith grabbed her arm and propelled her towards the office at the back of the store.

Faith just laughed as she pushed Tara in, "Phone," she pointed. "Call," she made a phone shape with her fingers and then shut the door on Tara.

Tara just sighed and looked at the phone sitting on the desk as though it were an instrument of torture. She drew Willow's card from the pocket of her jeans where she had put it for some strange reason that morning. She ran her thumb lightly over the embossed name, _Willow Rosenberg…Willow and Tara…_Tara smirked, their names sounded pretty damn good together.

After several attempts at dialling and hanging up she finally let it ring. Although she very nearly slammed the phone back down when she heard Willow's terse and grumpy-sounding greeting on the other end.

"Um, hi W-Willow…it's Tara."

"Hey!" Willow's voice was surprised and overly enthusiastic on the other end. Tara's heart leapt just at the sound of her voice but even as she began to speak Willow added quickly. "Can you wait just a second?"

"Sure…" even as Tara replied she heard a muffled conversation , Willow had obviously cupped her hand over the receiver - but not very effectively.

"Get out!" she heard Willow whisper urgently.

"Why? Who is it?" someone else was saying.

"Buffy, just leave! It's…it's…please just leave will you?"

"It's her isn't it? Ooh! Can I stay? Can I?" Buffy was pleading.

"Buff! Piss off!" Willow hissed.

"Alright, alright!"

Tara heard the door close in the background and a short moment later Willow's unmuffled voice was back on the other end.

"Hey, sorry about that."

"Say hi to Buffy for me won't you?" Tara said whilst giggling slightly.

"I-I…" Willow giggled nervously. "Sorry...your call took me a little by surprise that's all and the last thing I wanted was Buffy listening to every stutter and giggle that comes out of my mouth."

For a moment Tara almost forgot while she had called in the first place, it was intoxicating listening to the sound of Willow's voice. "Tell me about it…I had to dial you three times because I kept chickening out and hanging up…" Tara paused. "You must think I'm a complete doofus…"

"I do!" Willow replied emphatically. "But I mean that in the best way possible!"

"Um, Willow the reason I called is I can't find anyone to look after Ashley on Friday so I won't be able to join you for dinner."

"Oh," the single syllable from the red head sounded so completely and absolutely disappointed it made Tara wish she could reach out and hold her close. Willow continued albeit in a much more subdued manner. "T-that's fine Tara-"

Tara quickly interrupted. "But I-I was wondering if you would care to join us for dinner…at m-my place…if you want to spend your Friday evening stuck in a crappy apartment drinking pop and possibly, god forbid it, playing board games." She let out a nervous giggle to fill the momentary silence over the phone line.

The silence however, did not last long at all. Willow quickly recovered from the crushing disappointment she had felt for a few awful seconds. It was replaced by a sense of jubilation and even more excitement, _She wants me to come to her house! And she asked me to play board games with her!_ Willow grinned as though the act of playing board games together was highly significant in itself. Which of course it wasn't…she was just over the moon that she would still get to see Tara on Friday.

"Yes!" Willow burst out, practically yelling down the phone before she managed to reign herself in, swallowing quickly she continued. "I mean, that's fine Tara…of course I'll join you…wild horses couldn't keep me away," Willow paused as though she were considering something. "Well, to be honest, I think they might because I really don't like horses and wild ones would be altogether more frightening."

"Um Willow," Tara laughed at the red head's adorable babble. "Somehow I don't think there will be wild horses in your way…but if there are I'll forgive you if you don't make it."

"Oh I'll make it, I'll make it," Willow said quickly.

"So is 5pm alright?"

"Fine…do you want me to bring anything?"

"Nope, just yourself," Tara said quietly, wishing she had the guts to say, '_Your beautiful self.'_

As soon as Willow hung up a few moments later Buffy burst back into the room, a ball of ballistic energy as she relentlessly questioned Willow on her plans with the mysterious blonde.

* * *

Friday night Willow practically bounded up to the door of the Magic Box and unlike her previous visits she had no hesitation in opening the door. The closed sign was showing but Willow felt a surge of excitement in knowing that it applied to everyone bar her. Tara was leaning against the counter as she studied the account books while Ashley was sitting at a small round table scribbling away in a book of her own. When she saw Willow her face broke out into a broad smile and she leapt down from her chair.

"Officer Willow!" she said excitedly, coming to stand before Willow, still grinning from ear to ear.

She looked remarkably like her mother, right down to the gorgeous, half-smile. However that the trace of shyness that seemed to be permanently evident in Tara's own beautiful smile was missing in Ashley's. Her bold eyes twinkled with mischief and energy.

"Hey Ashley," Willow hunkered down so she was more of a height with the small girl.

She drew out a baseball from the pocket of her jacket and tossed it in the air. "I caught this in the last game of the World Series last year and I thought, after seeing your baseball cap, that you might like it?"

Willow handed it over and Ashley's eyes lit up as her small fingers closed around it, rubbing the leather gently with her thumb.

"Wow! Thank you so much," she grinned up at Willow and then over to her mother, obviously pleased that she had remembered her manners.

Enthusiasm quickly replaced manners as Ashley whooped and tossed it into the air. She caught it and almost unbalanced into a table full of crystals. Even as the last crystals had ceased tottering precariously she glanced up at her mother with a very sheepish expression on her face.

"Upstairs with you!" Tara scolded lightly.

"Can I set the monopoly board up?" Ashley asked, keeping a tight grip on her new baseball.

"Willow might not even want to play monopoly," Tara directed the question at Ashley, all the while looking at Willow from the corner of her eye.

"Monopoly it is," Willow grinned at both the girl and her mother.

"Woohoo!" Ashley took off up at the stairs in a dead sprint, only remembering hallway up them to slow down a little, proceeding at a brisk walk while Willow and Tara followed at a more sedate pace.

Tara ushered Willow up the stairs first in the manner of a good host, the side effect of this being that she could ogle Willow's butt as she walked behind her. She felt the heat rise in her face at the sight of Willow in her tight jeans. A few moments later she had to glance away lest she do something inappropriate. _Hands to yourself, Maclay!_ When they reached the top of the stairs, Willow turned to Tara with the tiniest of grins on her face as though she knew full well what Tara had been thinking. Tara had to fight to keep the heat rising from her face as she tried to take her mind off what had just transpired.

"C-can I-I take your coat Willow?" Tara asked from behind her, even the simple question making Willow's heart flutter.

"Thank you," Willow removed her light jacket and handed it to Tara, their fingers brushing ever so slightly in the process.

Willow watched Tara move to hang up the jacket on the old fashioned coat rack to one side of the apartment's door. The blonde was gorgeous even in a simple flowing print skirt and a casual top which lightly hugged her breasts. The red head found herself letting out a long, silent breath, _This is going to be a long night._

The three of them settled in for an enthusiastic game of monopoly. Ashley was concentrating hard due to the fact that she was usually limited to junior monopoly. She had her game face on, her tiny nose wrinkled in concentration.

A few hours later the game was drawing to an exciting close as both Tara and Ashley were running neck and neck. Between them they owned most of the properties on the board and had large piles of cash sitting in front of them. Willow on the other hand was down to her last few dollars, having just landed on one of Ashley's key properties much to the little girl's delight.

Willow landed on a chance square and took the card from the top of the pile and her face fell when she saw what was written on it. She clutched it to her chest and would not show Ashley or Tara. Tara for one was not about to let her conceal it. She made a dive for Willow's hands and struggled to prise them apart. Willow collapsed into a fit of giggles as Tara set about tickling her.

"Oi! I'll show you, just lemme go!" Willow squeaked, fully aware of Tara's fingers on her body.

Tara snatched the card from Willow's hand and read it with great delight. "Go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200!" Tara exclaimed, throwing the card into the middle of the board and clapping with delight.

Willow moved her playing piece into the jail cell and Tara grinned from ear to ear as the detective was sent to her place. She groaned loudly and put her head in her hands.

"I have no money, mortgages galore and now I'm in jail! I suck at monopoly" Willow wailed.

"You've told me you're very good at other things," Tara smirked suggestively, recalling Monday's conversation. "Like…cooking and reciting the periodic table among other things."

"What other things?" Ashley asked in a curious voice.

"Um, I think that's it for monopoly," Tara spoke up quickly. "How about you and I tie for first and Willow finishes a respectable second?"

Ashley looked as though she were seriously considering this for a moment before nodding gravely. "Willow is second…even though she got her butt kicked."

"Shut up you and go and put a video on," Tara scolded lightly as Willow laughed.

Tara and Willow settled back onto the couch. Willow trying discreetly to position herself so that Tara would be tempted to lean on her shoulder at some stage during the movie. However, even as she was edging along the couch closer to the blonde, Ashley leapt back onto the couch right between Tara and Willow. The little girl snuggled into her mother's shoulder completely oblivious to the sound of Willow's bubble bursting.

Nevertheless, Willow loved the computer animated cartoon and she loved it even more when Tara laughed. Listening to the musical sound almost made up for the fact that her own snuggling efforts had been thwarted by another woman…a pint sized one at that.

When the closing credits began to roll Willow glance across to see Ashley's eyelids half-closed, well on her way to falling asleep. Tara ruffled Ashley's hair, the seven year old looked up sleepily and replied with a very wide yawn.

"We should get you to bed kiddo, I think bed time came and went about four hours ago."

"Not…sleepy," Ashley mumbled in a voice that said otherwise.

Willow realised that she really ought to make her exit despite the fact that she could have stayed with Tara all night long and it would still not be enough time spent with the blonde. She had the feeling that forever would not be long enough.

"I should take my leave as well," Willow could not keep the reluctance out of her voice.

Tara glanced up as Willow rose from the couch, her bottom lip moving as though she wanted to say something to the contrary. One part of her was screaming inside her to ask Willow to stay…and yet Tara knew that was not the part she ought to be listening to. Her mind knew full well that they had all the time in the world.

Gently easing a half-asleep Ashley down onto the couch, she joined Willow in standing. She crossed to the coat stand to retrieve Willow's jacket for her. As Tara handed her the jacket Willow stood in the doorway, feeling a terrible heat rise up in her face.

"Um, I had a really great time tonight," Willow said, glancing up to meet Tara's gaze.

"Y-you're not just saying that are you?" Tara asked nervously. "Because if you were terribly bored you can say so."

"Bored? Tara I haven't had that much fun for simply ages. Tara…I meant it…how could I be bored around such a fantastic…interesting…and beautiful woman?"

"Now you are just saying that!" Tara let out a nervous laugh, although her cheeks went beet red and she ducked her head.

Willow reached out and with two gentle fingers lifted Tara's chin back up. "Please don't do that when you're around me…you shouldn't be embarrassed to show people your face. It's breathtaking."

Tara's face went almost as bright as Willow's hair as both stood unmoving in the doorway. Neither it seems, were prepared to make any sort of move other than stare into one another's eyes with very stupid expressions on their faces.

"Aren't you going to kiss her goodnight?" Ashley asked with a curious grin on her face.

Willow and Tara had both completely forgotten the small girl was still in the room and they both turned around now to see her standing in the middle of the room. Her small face was looking up at them expectantly. Both women were caught off guard by the child and both were red faced and embarrassed. Willow shuffled her feet while Tara ducked her head once more. Gazing at the soft skin of Tara's cheek even as she shifted from foot to foot, Willow felt a momentary surge of boldness. Leaning forward quickly she pressed her lips against that smooth surface. Her heart leapt as she did so, the touch was electric and even as she pulled back a second later she was still buzzing. Tara looked up in surprise, her expression not unlike that of a school child pecked on the cheek for the very first time. Willow's face broke into a cheeky grin as she made her exit,

"Bye Tara," she whispered.

"Bye Willow," Tara replied in what was a slightly sultry voice that promised so much more than just a peck on the cheek.

Once outside into the night air, Willow tossed her car keys in the air and caught them with a jaunty flick of her wrist. After a night like this, nothing was going to get her down. The strains of her favourite Black Eyed Peas song filled her ears and as always it took her a few moments to realise that it was her phone ringing. She dug into her pocket and answered with an enthusiastic hello.

"Hey Will…" Buffy was on the other end.

Willow burst out before Buffy could even finish her greeting, "It went great!"

"What?" Buffy asked in a confused and impatient tone.

"My date of course dumb arse! Aren't you calling to ask how it went. Although I do think it's a bit presumptuous of you to call me this early…I mean, Tara and I could've been…no scratch that, this Rosenberg taking it slow…she's worth it Buff."

"Willow! I'm really glad to hear your night went well but will you shut the hell up for two seconds!" Buffy almost yelled down the phone.

Willow was suitably chastised. "Steady on, if you're not calling to ask how my night went then what-"

It was Buffy's turn to interrupt and she did so very quickly, "I am calling because I just received the strangest phone call…from someone calling himself a 'guardian'."


	8. Eyes of the Damned

**Chapter Eight  
Eyes of the Damned**

"Would you get that stupid look of your face!" Buffy hissed, glaring at Willow from the corner of her eye even as she remained alert to their surroundings.

"I haven't got a stupid look on my face!" Willow snapped back. However, as soon as she had finished speaking a little half smile crept back on to her face. It succeeded in creating the look of someone whose thoughts were definitely somewhere else.

"Whatever," Buffy muttered sullenly. She looked around and couldn't quite suppress a shiver. "What is it with cemeteries being permanently all dark and spooky?"

Earlier that evening, while Willow had been happily playing monopoly with Tara and Ashley, Buffy had taken a call from a man claiming to be something called a 'guardian'. While this in itself was enough to weird Buffy out, his request that he absolutely had to meet with her and her partner - the detectives working on the 'Circle Murders' to use the label the papers had given the killings. Although not normally given over to flights of fancy, when it came to this particular case Buffy was trying very hard not to allow her scepticism and disbelief get in the way of what really mattered - finding out what the hell was going on. The man had requested that they meet in Restfield cemetery, in a crypt of all places. To make matters worse, Willow was in 'luuurve' and could think about little besides the blonde witch.

"What?" Willow looked around as though she was finally aware of where she was.

As she looked around, her eyes opened slightly in surprise. Buffy was about to cuff her over the head in an effort to force her to take stock of their current situation when she realise that Willow had been paying attention all along. Unable to multi-task in such a fashion herself, it was a trait that annoyed Buffy immensely.

"We've missed the correct crypt, Buff. He said 'Ashcroft' didn't he? That was a few crypts ago."

Buffy just stared at Willow as they made an about turn, a look of exasperation and bewilderment written plainly on her face.

"How do you do that?" Buffy demanded.

"Do what?" Willow asked even as she shone her flashlight up at the nearest crypt to read 'Greaves' - not the right one.

"Float along completely wrapped up in yourself and still manage to be more observant that me!" Buffy folded her arms in a huff.

"For your information," Willow began sternly. "I was not wrapped up in my own world. Besides, everyone knows I'm the brains of this operation and you're the brawn. Now if you'd be so good as to kick the door down." The beam of torch light fell on the deeply chiselled name in the next crypt…'Ashcroft.'

"Gee thanks," Buffy muttered sarcastically even as she positioned herself in front of the door.

"You know you love it," Willow drew her gun from its holster inside her jacket, she had never liked the feel of the cold metal in her hands - the knowledge that someone could die as a result of its power.

As Buffy was about to kick the door down, Willow was positioned ready to cover the pair of them. Suddenly the door swung inwards sharply. Willow pointed her gun at the shape in the darkness but it as she did it spoke in a very angry tone.

"For fuck's sake get inside the both of you!" a man's voice hissed, ushering them in with a furious motion of his arm.

Willow and Buffy moved quickly inside and the door ground shut behind them. It was musty inside the crypt and predictably smelt of death and decay. Their unseen contact was soon illuminated by the beam of Willow's torch. It revealed him to be a somewhat handsome man, probably in his late twenties or early thirties. However, his face had an unhealthy pinched look to it, his hair lank and stringy about his face as though he hadn't bothered to groom it for weeks. His eyes darted back and forth between the two detectives like some sort of terrified rodent. Finally his eyes came to rest on the barrel of Willow's gun, which was still pointed in his direction.

"Is that really necessary?" he asked in a tone that immediately made Willow feel guilty, she holstered the weapon.

"Flashlight out as well!" he demanded.

As they were shrouded in darkness, Willow and Buffy felt decidedly uncomfortable, while the man obviously decided it was much better and he could talk freely - albeit in a voice that hissed from between his teeth.

"I think I had the misfortune of making contact with the two stupidest detectives in the world!" he snapped. "I could hear you bickering like a pair of fish wives! And the door? Pray tell me why on earth you needed to kick the door down?"

"Cos I like kicking doors down," Buffy retorted sulkily. "Now do you have something to tell us or did you just ask us to meet you hear for the sheer hell of it?"

"Buff," Willow whispered in her warning voice, "We're glad you asked to speak to us…any help you can give us will be greatly appreciated…Mr?"

"My name is Mike, Mike Appleby."

"Appleby? Are you related to…" Willow began, the name was instantly familiar.

"Yes, Josh is my brother…and Hugh was my nephew."

He was speaking of the tiny infant that had been discovered in his nursery. Willow remembered her brief glance at the sobbing parents, she couldn't understand even of part of their utter desolation but she knew it must be terrible.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," Willow said sincerely. "But can you help us?"

He laughed, a bitter sound in the darkness. "No one can help you…or me for that matter. I'm already dead. I failed the little guy."

"Everyone always blames themselves when something like this happens, Mike," Willow said softly. "But there's nothing you could have done."

"It was my job to do something. I was his guardian. It was my job to keep him safe, keep those bastards away from him!"

"Mike?" Buffy asked slowly, as though she were not entirely sure if the guy was in his right mind.

He laughed again. "Sorry, I asked you here to explain and instead I'm talking gibberish. This case goes a lot further than you realise. It's much more than a serial killer...or killers that need to be found and stopped like any other." His voice became a little calmer, more measured. "I hope I don't alarm you by saying the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance of the case you're trying to solve."

"The fate of the world?" Buffy asked dubiously. Even so, a chill slowly crept into her bones and she had to suppress an actual shiver.

"Please listen, I don't know how much time we have and it's important that you know. At least as much as I can tell you anyway because I don't understand everything." The detectives heard him draw in a deep breath in the darkness as though preparing himself for some sort of ordeal. "Sometime in the late 18th century builders stumbled upon strange stone carvings in the earth they were excavating. They did not know it but a powerful force was entombed within the space behind the carvings. Being very superstitious rural folk they did however know that something was not right and indeed it wasn't, for inadvertently they weakened the seals that held it. The priest they called into bless the site refused to enter it at all and it fell upon a local coven to reseal the tomb. They used the most powerful spell they knew. One that sealed the tomb with each of their life-forces - seven people for seven seals on the tomb. As long as their lines continued, the seals would remain unbroken. The force that lay within the tomb was therefore held at bay by the most delicate and yet strongest of powers…human life. As the members of the original coven died, a descendant was chosen to take their place and with each descendant, a second person, a guardian was mystically appointed to watch over them…keep them safe from harm. So this continued for over two hundred years without wavering. It seemed as though the seals would remain unbroken - the demon god forever entombed in his human prison. This was the scenario that met me when I was chosen to be Hugh's guardian."

"Okay, this is all completely bonkers but I'm going to play along with it," Buffy began. "Did you answer an ad in the paper that said 'Guardian wanted' or something?"

In the darkness both Mike and Willow were giving Buffy a 'look' that said she really ought to stop opening her mouth.

"From what I have gathered the guardian that is chosen is always someone close to the seal. I do not understand how it works fully - it is as if they are born to it. The members of the coven who instructed me were not very forthcoming with answers to my more probing questions. One day I was at walking home from work and was quietly drawn aside by two very nice but, well I thought, mentally deranged old ladies. I was told all this and didn't believe a word of it at first."

"But?" Willow asked quietly.

There was a brief glow within the crypt and both Willow and Buffy gasped as a small ball of fire danced above the palm of Mike's hand. His face was illuminated and for that moment he looked fierce and strong, as though he were a force to be reckoned with. However, this lasted only momentarily before his face collapsed under what seemed to be a strain and he appeared very, very tired.

"It seems as though things that go bump in the night really exist," Mike replied quietly.

"Okay, so you're one of seven guardians. Do you know who the other six are?"

"No idea…there are no connections of any kind, each guardian is watched over by a separate coven."

"Seven seals, seven guardians and seven covens?" Willow's mind worked furiously, trying to take all of this in and at the same time process it into some sort of manageable collection from which she could draw conclusions and find solutions. She tried to approach it as if it were a maths problem that she could understand.

"So what happened?" Buffy asked. "Where did you slip up?"

The glow was suddenly snuffed and they slipped into darkness once more,

"Complacency," Mike whispered in a broken voice. "I thought that it was really cool to have magical powers. For the first time in my life, I was someone really cool, I could maybe show off a little...impress the girls. I never thought that I would actually have anything to do with them. I would go through my life watching over Hugh and nothing would ever happen. I was so wrong. I should have seen the signs, heeded the coven's warning and yet it was too late. I arrived at Josh and Amy's house too late that morning. I was there in time to see the two of you enter. There were already so many police cars surrounding the house and I knew I had failed in my task."

"What about the coven?"

"All dead," Mike continued.

"We would've heard about seven murders like that. We haven't." Willow was searching her brain for other reports and she was coming up blank.

"You don't look hard enough," Mike replied quietly. "You need to look further afield."

"Okay, okay," Buffy sounded frustrated in the dark. "Too many questions, if these seal people are killed now," Buffy stopped as though she wondered whether it would appropriate to make fun of the word play before she thought better of it. "-then wouldn't a new person just take their place like has always happened?"

Mike shook his head. "The ritual…the symbols - haven't you figured out what they mean yet?"

"We have someone working on it," Willow's mind immediately shifted to Tara and she wondered if she was getting the blonde into something that could potentially threaten her life. Her first instinct was to call Tara and tell her to put as much distance between them as possible. Mike's eyebrows rose thoughtfully, as though he had not expected the two detectives to be so open to the idea of solving crimes by other means.

"Firstly, the breaking of the seals requires the death of the seal itself…but in a manner that makes it impossible for the responsibility to pass to the next descendant."

"The symbols…the hellebore…" Willow mused. "The inverted banishing symbols?"

"Precisely," Mike nodded.

Buffy spoke up after listening to the incomprehensible conversation between her partner and the guardian. "You two are both mental!"

Suddenly there was an eerie sound in the night - like a horn but not. It chilled all three of them to the bone and there was a scuffling as Mike stood and moved to the door.

"They've found us!" he hissed. "You've got to go! I'll try and deal with them. You have to stop them, stop the rituals and the killing of the seals! Go!"

The three of them emerged from the tomb into the night air beyond and both detectives gasped as they saw they were completely surrounded by several shadowy figures which they couldn't make out. However, for some reason, they knew they were in trouble. Behind them, Mike screamed once and they whirled around just in time to see him being yanked up by the scruff of his neck. He disappeared atop the crypt and moments later there were a few brief sounds of struggle…and then another scream which was all too abruptly cut off. A black shape fell in front of the two detectives, they both gasped in horror to see a headless corpse, no doubt as to who it was. Moving hastily away from the crypt, they kept their eyes trained on the dark shape standing above them - expecting at any second that it would snatch them up and deal with them in the same manner as Mike.

"Buffy…" the slow intonation of Willow's speech betrayed her utter bewilderment. "What the fuck is that?"

"You mean what the fuck are those?" Buffy yelped as several more figures emerged from the shadows, she hastily withdrew her sidearm from the holster inside her jacket.

They were helpless, surrounded and stalked from above. Just as Willow reached inside her coat for her gun, another shadow burst onto the scene, although moving with the graceful ferocity of a cat rather than the deliberate menacing favoured by evil doers. As the figure moved, moonlight revealed a young woman, her curves accentuated by form fitting leather. Dark hair fanned out around her. In a series of blinding moved she blocked the clumsy attacks of the nearest villain. While he was shaking his head in a daze, she withdrew a sharp stake from her jacket and rammed it into his chest. With a strangled cry, he burst into a million dusty particles. The dark haired woman then bounded carelessly over to where Willow and Buffy were standing aghast.

"Faith," Willow identified Tara's flatmate in a bland voice, for some reason she wasn't surprised – an alter-ego as a monster fighting superhero suited the curvaceous brunette.

"Those, to answer your question, are vampires. Honestly, I can never understand why the cops in this town can't open their eyes to what is going on at night," She muttered the last comment almost to herself before winking at Willow suggestively. "Hey Red, who's your partner with the sexy arse?"

"The name's Buffy!" Buffy snapped angrily in return before her face relaxed into a smile of appreciation. "I do have a rather nice arse though, thank you for noticing."

"Slayer!" A guttural growl reminded them that they were not alone.

Faith withdrew two more stakes from her jacket, prompting Buffy to ask incredulously. "What else have you got hidden in there?"

Faith winked suggestively at the blonde cop. "I'll show you later," she replied, to which Buffy was struck uncharacteristically speechless. "But right now we've got business to attend to."

She tossed a stake each to Willow and Buffy before turning her full attention to the encroaching vamps. Faith flung herself forwards before launching upwards in a spread-eagled double kick which send two of them flying. Meanwhile, Buffy looked at the pointy stick in her hand, then to a posse of vamps which were advancing on her and Willow and then she finally looked in desperation to Willow. Faith was single-handedly fighting off three, having just dispatched one with a swift jab of her stake.

"What are we supposed to do with these?" Buffy assumed a defensive stance, holding the stake out in front of her as though its mere presence would be enough to ward them off, her other hand held firm to her sidearm, finger tensing on the trigger. "Can't we just shoot them?"

"Haven't you ever watched a horror movie," Willow snapped impatiently, brandishing her own stake in a more convincing imitation of Faith. "You have to stake them through the heart, or sprinkle them with holy water."

"Well we don't have any holy water!" Buffy snapped back.

Willow yelped and ducked as a fist came crashing towards her. Instead of her head, the vamp's fist collided with the tomb behind her, sending chunks of masonry flying.

"Ow!" the nerdy looking vampire shook its fist. "You're gonna pay for that!"

Her turned quickly, too quickly for Willow and snatched her wrist. In twisting it he forced Willow to drop her stake.

"Stake him with it you moron!" Willow yelled at Buffy as she furiously grappled with her attacker, who, as vampires are want to do, was trying to sink its teeth into her neck.

"Right!" Buffy said determinedly, she pounced, her arm making a stabbing motion for the vamp's back.

However, as she did it lashed out with one hand and sent Buffy sprawling into the dirt, all the while keeping one hand on Willow. As soon as Buffy tried to regain her feet, another vamp pinned her to the ground .There was no time for Willow to react to help her partner as she found herself being slammed back against the earth. Even as she fell Willow remembered all the sessions she and Buffy had spent wrestling and shifted her body slightly so she could get her knee between their bodies. With a sharp upwards movement she drove her knee into its stomach and it went sailing over her head as her back hit the earth. Willow leapt to her feet and had little time before another was grabbing her from behind, both elbows were twisted back, pinned by unnatural strength. She struggled angrily and grimaced in disgust as it licked her neck.

"Inflamatus!" cried an all too familiar voice behind the vamp.

Without further warning, it staggered to its feet and away from Willow with a surprised look on its face just as flames spurted from his mouth. He was being consumed from within by fire. With one last cry, he exploded in the same manner as the one staked by Faith.

Willow coughed and spluttered as she was showered in particles of coarse dust. Not exactly the circumstances in which she hoped to see Tara next.

"Are you okay?" Three simple words were enough to revive Willow from a state of shock.

Willow blinked enough dust from her eyes to be able to open them. She almost smiled when she saw the concern written starkly across Tara's face.

"Great!" she piped much too enthusiastically, as though Tara's appearance had turned the evening into a jolly good party rather than the terrifying experience it actually was. She blinked again and came to her senses, remembering that Buffy was in mortal danger. However, when she found Buffy she saw that she was back on her feet, double teaming the vampire with the aid of tall man using a rather clumsy but well honed fighting style. Buffy grabbed the vampire's arms, immobilising it while he staked it firmly in the chest.

"It's alright," Tara said firmly. "That's Giles, he's one of us."

_Who and what are we?_ Willow wondered, looking sideways at the mysterious blonde she had grown to be so attached to.

Buffy and Giles had no time to gloat over their success as another one snarled in for the kill. Another one pounced on Willow and Tara, sending Willow flying to the ground first. Luckily she fell right next to her stake she had lost earlier, her fingers curled around it and she held on tight.

"These things are like rabbits!" Willow muttered as she shook her head and looked around for Tara, her eyes opened wide when she saw the vampire strike her with a savagely balled fist, catching the blonde beneath her jaw.

"Oh god…Tara!" Willow saw the blonde fall heavily to the ground.

Tara immediately tried to pull herself up but her movements were sluggish, she was dazed and disorientated from the blow. The vampire reached down and seized a handful of her beautiful blonde hair, jerking her head up much too quick. Willow saw Tara grimace in pain and felt her anger surging through her like some kind of barely restrained force. She looked down at the stake in her hand and tossed it aside like the useless piece of wood it was.

"Get away from her you filth!" Willow yelled.

Willow couldn't explain what happened next, she balled her fingers up into a tight fist, her skin felt as though it were on fire. Everything was so hot and she knew exactly what she wanted to burn.

"Burn you bastard!"

The vampire suddenly burst into flames directly above Tara. It collapsed into ash and fell in a fine layer of sparks all over the blonde. Willow squeaked in fright, moving as fast as she could to Tara's side. She dropped to her knees to extinguish any sparks that clung to Tara's clothing. She rolled Tara over in a panic, running her hands over Tara's face repeatedly for no other reason than the fact that she was panicking.

"Oh god, are you alright? The…thing, the vampire had you and then he was on fire and he…he poofed! He poofed all over you and I thought…oh god I thought you were hurt." Full on panic babble mode set in.

Tara, to her credit, realised this despite the fact that she was the one who ought to be in a state of shock. She seized both of Willow's hands in her own and held them own sweaty palms.

"Will…Willow!" she half shouted, trying to snap the redhead out of her frightened stupor.

"I thought you were hurt…and I was so worried…" Willow blinked as Tara's words and the feeling of both her hands being held finally registered.

Tara stared at Willow evenly, trying to keep her own fear from registering anywhere on her face. She slowly let go of Willow's hands and the redhead immediately stared down at them. Tara watched the intent look on Willow's face as she studied her hands, clenching and unclenching her fists a few times before lifting her gaze back to Tara. Almost absently she brushed a layer of ash from Tara's jacket.

As Willow pulled her hand away and she looked down at the rather dirty palm of her hand, her mind dwelled on what it had been. There had been a monster…then what she had done? The fire had come from her…her mind. _Where did that come from?_

Willow finally realised she was right in Tara's face, completely invading her space. Slowly she sat back on her haunches, still staring at her hands.

Tara gingerly sat up. All the while she could not take her eyes off Willow. The redhead sat on the damp grass, completely oblivious to what was going on around her. After a few moments, she looked up at Tara and the blonde could not restrain a slight gasp. Her blue eyes glistened in the weak light as she stared at Willow.

Willow was immediately confused. Tara was staring at her as though she had suddenly turned green - which maybe she had for all Willow knew.

"Tara?" Willow asked softly. "W-what is it?"

"Oh god Will." Tara reached forward to lay her hand over Willow's warm cheek. She ran her thumb ran gently beneath Willow's eyes - her deep, black eyes.

"What's wrong?" Willow was scared by the look on Tara's face.

"Who are you?" Tara asked, her voice choking slightly.

"Okay, you're really starting to scare me. What's going on?"

Tara remembered the spell. She remembered how the spell had repelled Willow because there was something inside her. Tonight that something had shown itself and Willow seemed to have no idea. She drew back, her hand reluctantly leaving Willow's skin as she moved to stand up. Faith was quickly at Tara's side, helping her to her feet. Willow couldn't help but feel like a leper as she watched everyone move away from her with wary eyes.

Buffy came running up with her chest heaving frantically and a liberal amount of dust coating her suit. She took one look at Willow and almost fell over.

"Holy fuck, Willow!" she exclaimed. "What's with the 'eyes of the damned' look?"

Subtlety had never been one of Buffy's strong points.

"What?" Willow asked in shock.

The red head touched her temples as though somehow she could feel what had happened. She didn't need to see them, there was still a very clear picture in her mind of the night her eyes had turned black in the bathroom mirror.

"My eyes are black aren't they?" she whispered.

Faith and Tara both wouldn't stop staring. Willow noticed with a sinking heart that Faith's hand was resting on the blonde's sleeve - for reassurance or protection…or maybe both.

"Okay…" Buffy was looking around at everyone as though she expected extra heads to be sprouting, she looked at the two strangers and then back to Willow who was sitting on the ground in a daze. Her partner shook her head as though she was trying to shake something off. When she looked up at Buffy her eyes were still in the process of fading from black back to green, Buffy stared in horror. "What the fuck is going on here?"


	9. Hocus Pocus Stuff

**CHAPTER NINE  
Hocus Pocus stuff**

Willow felt as though all four pairs of eyes were boring a hole right through her body. She glanced at each in turn. Faith was looking suitably impressed. Her arm had since dropped from a protective hold on Tara's sleeve to rest on her hip as she studied Willow. Giles was frowning as though a million thoughts were racing through his mind - problems, solutions, scenarios and so forth. Buffy just looked horrified, as though she expected Willow to explode or something equally as startling. However, this was nothing compared to the look on Tara's face. Hers of course was the face that Willow searched the longest for answers and some form of acceptance. However no matter how hard she scrutinised, Tara's face was completely unreadable – an effective mask. Willow reacted to this lack of emotion as a rejection. She was saddened as she wondered what emotions the blonde hid beneath her impervious exterior.

"Are my eyes black?" Willow demanded insistently when she saw everyone was tongue-tied. More than anything, she loathed being the centre of attention - especially bad attention.

Everyone nodded tentatively. Buffy, seeing her partner's obvious distress, came forward with her hand held out in placation. She gently took Willow's arm, hoping to offer a measure of reassurance with her touch. Angry and frustrated, Willow snatched her arm away. Buffy took an all too hasty step back as though she was worried that Willow was going to burn her in a fiery ball in the same manner as the vampires.

"Willow…everyone," Giles began in a calm, almost normal voice. "I think we should all return to the Magic Box. A hot drink and a few biscuits would go down a treat I believe."

"Nothing like tea and cookies after some slaying," Faith agreed in a slightly sarcastic voice. She sounded as though she would rather be downing something with a little more punch.

Willow clenched her fists and scrubbed them fiercely against her eyes as though that would make them return to normal. However, she knew inside that it was not the colour of her eyes which disturbed her most despite all outward appearances. All too clearly she remembered the feel of power coursing through her body. Before and after she had burnt the vampire to a cinder, it was in her veins. The power surged with potential and straining to escape. She had the overwhelming feeling that what had been let loose tonight was just a fraction of the power inside her. Willow shivered at the thought of burning everything around her, her new found friends…Tara. However, what made her shiver the most was the fact that in those moments, and most of all when she had unleashed the magic, she had felt unstoppable.

"Will?" Buffy asked quietly, seeing the strange look pass over Willow's face.

"I'm going home…I'm exhausted," Willow mumbled, although she wasn't quite sure how to describe how she felt - _drained, filthy and thoroughly weirded out._

"I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Buffy didn't like the idea of someone who burnt people with mere words going home on her own.

"Fuck off, Buffy," Willow muttered and turned her back on all of them.

No one said a word as she walked back through the darkness of them cemetery on her way to the car parked near the entrance. She half-wished that another vampire would leap out at her, fangs bared – just so she could feel that power once again.

The four remaining in the graveyard stood awkwardly and in silence until Willow was out of sight. The silence lasted until Buffy realised that Willow had been her ride home.

"Fuck!" How am I supposed to get home?" she was also annoyed at the fact she would most probably miss out on biscuits and tea.

"I'll take you home, my bike is parked just over there,' Faith thumbed in a general direction.

"Bike?" Buffy squeaked, "As in bike with pedals or - "

"Bike as in my Harley Davidson," Faith replied, obviously enjoying Buffy's discomfort.

"Um…okay," Buffy replied nervously, she turned to Tara and Giles. "I guess I'll see you later."

Giles stepped forward to say something before the two of them could leave.

"Can you and Willow please come to a meeting at the Magic Box tomorrow, mid-morning if possible…or earlier? We open at nine," Giles asked as Faith possessively took hold of Buffy's arm.

"I don't want to speak for Will…but-"

"It's important," Giles insisted.

"Okay, sure…" Buffy let loose one last squeak as Faith dragged her off; no doubt biscuits and tea were not on the brunette's mind.

Giles and Tara were left alone; the blonde feeling as though the weight of the world was pressing down on her shoulders and at any moment her knees would buckle. Then Giles was at her side and everything became a little easier.

"I'm sorry Tara. When you told me what Willow was, what was inside her, I didn't take you seriously enough. I should have acted then and there to remove further danger from us all," he spoke calmly.

"Acted how Giles?" Tara asked quietly, although her voice betrayed an uncharacteristic hint of rage. "By killing her? Banishing her to another dimension?"

"Goodness no, Tara!" he replied, mortified by her suggestion that he would even think about killing an innocent, although the more he thought about it he wasn't sure Willow was at all innocent. "But you can't deny that she is an unknown in this mix. We have to all work together to understand what she is, what she can do…Willow most of all."

"Willow is what she is," Tara whispered, rubbing her temples with her fingertips as though she had a migraine.

"But what is she to you?"

"I-I don't know," Tara replied. "I-I…I just want to go home and see Ashley. Oh god Giles! Who the hell is looking after Ashley? If you're here, Faith was here…I'm the worst mother in the world!"

"Tara, calm down, you're being hysterical. You've obviously completely forgetten that Anya and Xander were arriving back from their honeymoon today. Ashley is at their place, no doubt interrupting their newlywed bliss."

Tara stared goggle-eyed at Giles for a few moments as though she were trying to comprehend what he had just said before she signed heavily. She remembered. It was the twenty-fourth already. Xander and Anya had been set to arrive back on the five-thirty from New Zealand via Los Angeles. Giles was right - she was being hysterical. She knew exactly who to blame for her embarrassing emotional state, a certain detective with a beef against vampires.

"I just want to go home Giles," she whispered. "I'm exhausted and I need to go to bed."

"I think there has been more than enough excitement for one night," Giles agreed and the two of them were the last to leave the cemetery.

* * *

Willow pushed open the door to her apartment and immediately stumbled on something in the darkness. Between work and Tara she had very little time to attend to household chores. As a result her apartment was now looking as bad as she felt. Now of course was not the time to do anything about it. She fought her way to the window seat which overlooked the street. Willow sat heavily amongst the cushions and hugged one to her breast.

She could not get their faces out of her head. All of them, staring at her as she just wanted to disappear completely. Willow scrubbed at her eyes which now felt red and raw from doing it too often. During the whole drive home she had continually checked in the rear vision mirror to make sure her own green ones stared back at her.

Her cell phone began ringing, the cheery, fast tune completely out of sync with her mood. Willow glanced at the screen long enough to see it was Buffy before jabbing her finger down to cut her partner off. Buffy tried ringing once more and got the same result. Willow contemplated turning it off but a part of her wanted to answer it, wanted Buffy to reassure her that everything was fine.

_It's not fine goddammit, I barbequed a vampire!_ Willow clearly remembered the sensation, the anger that she had felt and it all came flooding back to her. Her fists clenched, one around the pillow in front of her and the other around her cell phone.

The phone beeped twice, no doubt it was Buffy resorting to text messaging. Willow glanced down at the screen to read - _Meeting Magic Box at 10am 2moro. If u not there I kic yr arse!_ With all the force she could muster Willow then threw the offending piece of technology across the room.

Willow did not even wince as the five hundred dollar phone smashed into half a dozen pieces against a wall. She just wondered when she had started to become so angry at everything. She knew exactly when it was…right after she had met Tara. However she refused to believe that it was the blonde's fault…or that it would have been better had they never met at all.

She closed her eyes tightly and tried to dwell on all that was peaceful in her life…which at this point in time consisted solely of Tara.

* * *

Willow couldn't quite say what it was that brought her to the Magic Box at 10.30am the next morning. Perhaps it was that she knew deep down this was the best place for her to find answers.

Buffy looked up as soon as the doorbell chimed and she scowled when she saw it was Willow. Her scowl however changing to a look of concern as she saw Willow was wearing the same rumpled clothes she had on the previous night in the cemetery. She was pleased however to see that Willow was carrying her laptop in a bag slung over her shoulder.

"Where have you been, I've been texting you non-stop all morning?" Buffy could barely conceal her concern as Willow came to stand at the edge of the table, she looked deathly tired.

"Um, my cell phone died last night," Willow whispered, wishing everyone would stop looking at her for once.

Buffy was seated at a large round table, while that in itself wasn't strange, the fact that it was piled high with books was. Buffy hated reading anything longer than a magazine and non-work related. However, a very large book lay open in front of her. Three other people were also seated at the table, Giles and a young man and woman whom Willow had never seen before. Tara was nowhere in sight and Willow's heart sank. She had been hoping for a chance to redeem herself and apologise for her behaviour in leaving suddenly last night.

"Right!" Giles began brightly, sensing Willow's discomfort, he bounded quickly to his feet and pulled a chair out for Willow. "Let's get underway then. Have a seat, can I get you anything?"

"A very strong coffee, black, three sugars," Willow realised how desperately she needed a caffeine injection.

Giles nodded with a warm smile and went to fix her drink. His manner towards her making things a little easier for Willow. She took the offered seat next to Buffy, taking off her bag and setting it down beside her.

Her partner leaned over and hissed in her ear, "You threw your cell phone at the wall didn't you?"

"Um…err, did not," Willow ducked her head, was she that obvious?

"You did too…stop feeling sorry for yourself! We've got bigger problems than you going all dark eyed and big with the hocus pocus stuff…like people dying!"

"Well said!" a perky blonde whom Willow had never seen before piped up from across the table.

Willow threw the instantly annoying blonde a look that could have melted steel. It was one thing for Buffy to be telling her off but a complete stranger she had never seen before was a different case altogether. Before Willow could burst and say something entirely inappropriate, Buffy stepped in to diffuse the situation.

"Will, this is Anya, and her husband Xander. They've just returned from their honeymoon…and I'm sure you'll be pleased to know that they're helping us out. They're old hands at this sort of stuff."

"Very nice to meet you," Willow managed, although the jury was definitely still out on whether she meant it.

"Hey there," Xander waved a little awkwardly, obviously uncomfortable with his wife's rudeness. "Glad to see you've been inducted into the weird and wonderful world that is our lives. Still thinking all this is nuts?"

Willow managed a smile. "Yeah, a little."

"Well, so am I and I've been doing it for years!"

Willow decided that she liked the affable young man, although she couldn't say the same for Anya who was currently eyeing her up as a potential rival for her husband's affections.

She turned to him now and said bluntly, "You can't possibly think she's better looking than me?"

Xander looked flustered and started to stammer an answer beneath Anya's baleful stare.

"Hello, ah…Anya?" Willow stepped in quickly to diffuse any martial tension, "I'm gay." _and already in love with someone else._

"Ahhh!" Anya stopped heckling Xander and beamed brightly. "Welcome then! Sorry about that…but after a thousand years spent as a vengeance demon I can't stop thinking about cheating husbands."

"A what? Demon? Vengeance…what?" Willow frowned.

Buffy leaned over again and whispered discreetly, "Just smile and nod. And hey, your cell phone cost five hundred dollars! What were you thinking!"

"I kind of wasn't thinking, Buff," Willow replied. She had rather liked that phone.

"Willow, can I talk to you for a moment?" a voice came from the back of the store.

Willow looked up instantly when she heard it was Tara who spoke, she nodded wordlessly and followed the blonde from the room. They moved into another space. Although Willow only had eyes for Tara she did note the strangeness of her surrounds. It was a training room of sorts, with all the usual gym equipment but odd weapons stored on the walls and symbols painted there too. She glanced back to Tara to find the blonde looking at her with the same unreadable expression that she had displayed the previous evening. Willow knew that she herself was as pale as a ghost, she felt awful.

Rather than launch into a furious tirade in the same manner as Buffy, Tara's question was simple, "How do you feel Willow?"

Willow was slightly taken aback, although it was a simple question she was unprepared…and in Tara's presence every sentence needed to be spoken with prior consideration lest the blonde consider her unstable. Her mouth opened and shut a few times as she pondered before she settled on a tight-lipped smile that betrayed her anxiety.

Tara sighed. "Willow, it's me. You don't have to put on a brave face. We're alone and it's just me."

"That's part of the problem," Willow replied quickly, emboldened by the solidity of Tara's smooth voice. "Everything is all so mixed up. It started out with a case like any other…well maybe not like any other because of the weird symbols and stuff but you know what I mean, just a case. Then I met you and all I wanted for starters was a date, maybe a few dates if things went well…and now everything is all mixing together, you being involved with the whole magic thing…and Faith, am I allowed to say that she is one scary, arse-kicking chick! And you set fire to the vamp the same as I did! I should be just as weirded out by that as by my own unexpected pyrotechnics!" Willow was in full babble mode with no sign of letting up until she met Tara's eyes and saw that the blonde was still looking at her, still meeting her gaze with those calm blue eyes, and she was able to reign in her runaway tongue. "What are you doing to me, Tara Maclay?"

Tara managed a small laugh as she lent back against the wall behind her, arms folded casually. "I thought you just wanted to know my name. I don't know how you managed to get dates in there as well."

Willow relaxed visibly. "By being persistently charming I suppose."

"You are undeniably persistent!"

"And charming?" Willow prompted.

"I'm still trying to work that out for myself," Tara's voice retained an edge of seriousness which indicated that she was not referring solely to Willow's dating etiquette.

"Still trying to work out whether I'm bonkers?" Willow added morosely, feeling a little of her misery from the previous evening returning.

"Willow, you're not bonkers…some people can do magic, you just have to have time to accept that you're one of them."

"But I don't understand, how in the frilly heck did I get it? Am I dangerous? I burnt that vampire to a crisp by just wanting him to burn, what if that happens to someone else who isn't all pointed toothed and lumpy? And the black eyes, how come your eyes don't go all black when you work magic?"

Tara refused to be drawn into Willow's tirade of self-pity. "Buffy was right…you really have to stop feeling sorry for yourself. There is a bigger picture but you're an important part of that, what exactly none of us knows but that's what we're here to help you find out, Giles, Faith, Buffy, Xander, Anya…and me, we're all here to help you. Please let us, Will?"

_She called me Will._ Willow let the musical sound wash over her like a calming balm. Just that one simple word, but it felt as though Tara were letting her in. Just a little, but closer nevertheless. For some reason she felt incredibly weak her legs buckled under her. Willow plonked down on the floor in a most unceremonious fashion, much a like a ragdoll. When Tara moved to help, Willow raised her hand and she didn't move any closer. Willow glanced up and Tara and her heart did a funny little flip as it were increasingly apt to do in her presence…she had never ever loved anyone quite as much as she loved the beautiful blonde. Which in itself was ridiculous, she had known her for all of two minutes…and there was evil magic afoot, not least within her own body…but for some reason all of that seemed just fine.

"Help?" Willow asked quietly.

"Help you up or help you understand your magics?" Tara asked, although she knew full well which one Willow was meaning.

"Would it be presumptuous of me to ask for both?"

Tara reached down and took both of Willows hands in her own and in one swift movement she drew the redhead back to her feet. She tugged a little too hard and she and Willow ended up very close together, hands held in front of them. Both women blushed bright shades of red and yet neither made a move away.

Willow met Tara's eyes, green melting into blue…and she held that gaze. For the longest time she could not draw away. Nor did she want to. In those eyes she found the peace that had eluded her since last night.

For all the forces that repulsed her away from Willow, Tara could not help but be drawn to the detective. Every voice in her head was telling her to back away, to keep Willow at arms length and yet she was helpless to do anything but accept what was happening between them.

Bridging the already miniscule gap between them, Willow brought her face closer to Tara's, lips parted ever so slightly in anticipation. She stopped just short, so close that their hot breaths fell on one another's lips.

"Ahem!" there was a quiet but insistent cough in the background, both women heard it through a dim haze, barely aware until it happened again much louder and even more insistent.

Willow and Tara sprang apart to see Giles standing in the doorway, a concerned look on his face. Willow got the immediate and distinct impression that he didn't approve of this new development in their relationship.

"Willow…Tara, I thought you might be having a little chat about what we can do to help Willow learn to control her magics."

Tara looked suitably guilty but there was a twinkle in her eye. "I was just getting to that."

Giles was too much of a gentleman to have anything to say in reply.

"You can cure me?" Willow asked hopefully, trying to move her attention away from the burning sensation that Tara had left on her lips.

"I wouldn't call it a cure Willow…once given the magics cannot be taken away…but we can teach you techniques that will enable you to assert control over the power that you do have, spells perhaps to enhance it when it is needed. It is very important and I hope you would let yourself be guided by Tara and I. Otherwise I fear the magics will end up controlling you," Giles said gently, but his tone of voice also said that he would brook no refusal.

Willow however did not need any persuading. "Great, I get to go to Hogwarts. Where do I sign up?"

"Hogwhat?" Giles asked, seeing the bemused looks on Tara and Willow's faces he shook his head. "Tomorrow…we need to start as soon as possible…after work tomorrow?"

Willow nodded, any excuse to spend more time with Tara was welcomed.

"It's all settled so we should hit the books," Tara could think of nothing but drawing Willow back into her arms, she needed something to take her mind off it.

The three of them joined Buffy, Anya and Xander who were pouring over their musty collection of old books on the table. Willow sat down and picked up a copy of 'A General Guide to Banishing Spells and Potions' and began leafing through it.

"I am at Hogwarts," she muttered after a quick scan of the incomprehensible gibberish inside.

Giles resumed fixing them all coffee in the small kitchen behind the counter. Tara sat down beside Anya, where she could happily gaze at Willow from the corner of her eye.

"Where's Faith?" Willow asked, almost grateful to not see the brunette, she didn't see Buffy blush furiously beside her.

"With Ashley, at the movies, supposedly seeing that new Disney cartoon…but I bet she's smuggled her in to see something with gore, blood and gratuitous violence," Tara replied with a sigh, she then looked up to see Anya staring at her with a funny look on her face. "What?"

"I like your new girlfriend, so much better than the last one," she said simply.

It was Tara's turn to blush and both she and Willow replied at the same time,

"Tara's not my girlfriend" / "Willow's not my girlfriend."

Anya rolled her eyes. "Whatever!"

* * *

A few hours and several very large cups of coffee later, Willow was beginning to see tiny little black letters even when she wasn't reading a page or looking at her computer screen. She was trawling through the police homicide reports from the past few weeks.

"Are you supposed to be accessing police files from your own computer?" Xander asked in amazement, trying to peer over Willow's shoulder at the confidential information as he returned from a sandwich buying mission.

"Errr…no," Willow replied succinctly. "But it's really quite easy, you just re-route the connection to make it look as though you're accessing it from the precinct and the security system doesn't know any different."

"Will," Buffy leaned over and clamped her hand over Willow's mouth. "Shut up, no one really cares how it works, as long as it works."

"I thought it was interesting," Tara said quietly, her voice completely serious, Buffy responded by poking her tongue childishly out at the blonde.

"Sandwiches!" Xander piped up, holding aloft the brown paper bag in his hand to steer people's thoughts in another direction. "I have sandwiches cos people love sandwiches!"

"Any donuts in there?" Buffy tried to peer into the bag, the little incident with Tara quickly forgotten at the mere mention of food.

"No, but I have Twinkies?" Xander offered one.

"That'll do," Buffy snatched the little cake from Xander's outstretched hand.

Willow continued to trawl through the files as she ate, very careful not to get her roast beef sandwich anywhere near the laptop. She was unaware that Tara was watching her as she ate and took each delicate little bite. Her hand was held at an awkward height, off to her side and as far away from the computer as she could get it and still eat it. Tara watched as her eyes light up when she found something of interest. Her hands momentarily left her screen and searched amongst the pile of books on the table. Finding what she watched, she hefted it onto her lap. A smile curled Tara's lips as she saw Willow bent over the book, munching her sandwich directly above it. Obviously her dislike of covering things in food did not apply to books.

Giles has noticed too and without warning he swooped down and rescued the book from beneath Willow's chomping jaws. Willow looked up with a mouthful of roast beef, a dollop of pickle on the corner of her mouth and a very sheepish expression on her face. Giles' face contorted in a state of apoplexy as he gently brushed crumbs from the pages of the heavy tome.

"Sowwy," Willow quickly swallowed her mouthful. "But look at this. " She grabbed Giles by his tie and pulled his head down to see her computer screen. "Jack Falla, seventeen, a student at Rosewood Academy."

"Dats da 'ame 'ool as the 'ock," Buffy replied too quickly with her mouth full of twinkie and she quickly swallowed, she rose from her seat to come and stand behind Willow's chair next to Giles. "That is the same school that the jock went to, the jock from the first killing."

"He had a name, Buff," Willow replied quietly, she had studied the file of the young man's murder all too much. "He was Harland Baker, seventeen. Anyway, Jack was found face down in the lake. The file says suicide but look at this photo."

Buffy, Giles and Tara crowded around the same computer screen as Willow brought up one of the autopsy photos. It showed the body of a young man who had been handsome in life but was now bloated and discoloured from lying in the water. Willow drew their attention to a tiny mark on his chest that she had enhanced. It was almost unnoticeable unless you knew exactly what you were looking for.

"That's the mark of a Rumarian demon," Giles peered closer, so close that no one else could see past his head. "Without a doubt…Willow how did you know?"

"I saw the mark, at first I passed it off as a bruise but I remembered reading something when I was flicking through one of the books, I was just double checking…I have a good memory."

"A photographic memory," Buffy chipped in.

Willow stabbed her finger at the page she had been looking at before Giles had snatched the book away. Giles looked down to see a Rumerian demon staring back at him and he read a passage out loud. "This demon kills in water and leaves a telltale mark upon the skin of the victim in order to claim his trophy. Willow, you're very astute, you ought to try your hand at demon research more often."

"So this guy was Harland's guardian?" Buffy asked.

Willow nodded. "No doubt…there was obviously no connection made between the two deaths as one was ruled a suicide. Still, two guys dying from the same school, I would have thought someone would have brought it to our attention."

"So?" said Buffy in mild annoyance. "It's no good finding out the fact after all of this has gone down. We need to stop people from dying don't we?"

"Precisely!" Giles spoke up. "I've found something too while you were searching on your computer. I just had to double check."

Giles placed the book Willow had soiled down on the table and from the counter behind him retrieved the particularly old and musty book that he had previously been reading. Tara's eyes widened at the sight of it.

"Giles, you're handling the _Nox Noctis Veneficus_ without gloves on!" she said it as though it were the most scandalous outrage since Tom left Nicole.

Giles looked slightly guilty and Buffy and Willow just looked confused. Tara saw their expressions and filled them in, "The Veneficus is a dark magic book, the darkest of dark magic. The information contained within is so potently malevolent that the Watcher's Council, sought to the ends of the earth for copies of it and burned all that they found. Only one copy they found was spared, it resides under greatest protection in the Watcher's library in England. They believe that at least three other copies also survive…one of which Giles keeps under his bed."

"It's protected!" Giles snapped indignantly.

"What's the Watcher's Council?" Willow asked with a frown.

"The Watcher's Council is a body of bureaucrats that try and tell us how to run our operation," Xander added in quickly from across the other side of the table.

"Bureaucrats? That's a big word sweetie," Anya smiled at her husband.

Giles glared at the pair of them to silence their banter. "They're a body of concerned and connected individuals who govern the Watchers of vampire slayers like myself, I'm Faith's Watcher, they do research and keep records. Anyway, they're quite irrelevant in all of this…as Tara so nicely put it, this is the Nox Noctis Veneficus. It mentions a powerful evil which was held at bay by a spell cast in the seventeenth century…in fact, it was one of the reasons why the book was destroyed in the first place…to protect the spell casters. As the young man told Willow and Buffy, the evil was sealed using the seven life-forces of an original coven – their names are inscribed in this book. As long as their lines continue, the seals remain unbroken," Giles looked questioningly at Buffy.

Buffy shrugged. "Something like that…sounded like a big muddle to me! How come you can get it straight and you weren't even there?"

Giles tapped the page of his book excitedly. "It's all here! The seven seals are therefore the youngest of each of the lines of seven witches and warlocks who banished the powerful evil from the world. In order to resurrect it, each of those seals have to be killed. It would appear that this is where the symbols come in. The inverted banishing symbol and the murder of the seal is used in order to undo the original spell that holds the evil at bay. The summoning spell needed to guide it to our plane, no doubt the bodies found in these circles have been sacrifices…most probably willing victims."

"Ewww," Buffy added.

"So far we've had two murders…so there are still five seals out there?" Willow looked to Giles who nodded in agreement. "And we have to find those seals? Those people I mean…not the sea creatures? Even though baby seals are really quite cute!"

"Exactly! That is where we'll come in, Anya, Xander and I will work from genealogy records to trace the lines of the original coven down to the present day," Giles traced his name over the list of seven witches and warlocks in the book.

_John Suckling_

_Margaret Cavendish_

_Richard Hobbes_

_Francis Massinger_

_Mary Wroth_

_Dorothy Jonson_

_Elizabeth Beaumont_

"Boring!" Anya burst out but she was silenced with a sharp look from Giles.

"Yay for geneaology research!" she quickly chirped.

"Meanwhile Willow and I will be at work…doing real police work," Buffy said firmly before Willow gave her a sharp look which told her to shut up. "But we'll be looking for hocus pocus type clues as well!"

'Buffy's right," Willow began packing up her computer, "We are behind in our case work, I don't want our boss coming down on us or inspecting what we're working on too closely, it could raise some uncomfortable questions."

"You never know, he might be pleased to learn he has a detective that can do magic tricks," Buffy put her foot right back in her mouth.

A dark look crossed over Willow's face for a few moments but she quickly regained her composure. Tara was going to help her deal with the magic and everything would be fine. She could laugh and joke about it…why let it ruin her life?

"Sure, I'll be doing party tricks at his kid's birthday party, want me to pull a rabbit out of a hat for you all?"

Anya gasped in horror and snapped at Willow. "You wouldn't dare! Why would you do that? Don't you like me?"

Willow frowned and Xander quickly jumped in, "Bunny phobia."

"Ahh," Willow nodded as though it were the most perfectly natural thing in the world.

Willow tucked her laptop back into its bag and she and Buffy stood to leave. Tara stood too.

"I'll walk you out," she said quietly.

Buffy rolled her eyes and quickly made a beeline for the door, not wanting to hang around like a bad smell when Willow and Tara were saying goodbye. She was out the door before anyone could say a further word to her. The whole world of magic was still sitting quite uneasily with her, she suspected that it would take a while for her to fully come to terms with the reality of it all.

Willow continuously fiddled with the straps on her carry bag as she and Tara walked to the door. Once outside, she swung it half shut behind them. Willow felt a delicious shiver go up her spine as though they were involved in something mischievous when all they were doing was standing in a door way. Both women acted as though they were teenagers, Willow continuing to fiddle and Tara scuffing her slip ons against the worn step.

"I guess I'll be seeing you," Willow began, hoping that Tara would automatically chime in with an exact date, destination and time for their next meeting.

"I-I guess," Tara whispered.

"Okay." Willow lingered but the moment was becoming increasingly awkward between the two of them. "Bye."

"Bye," Tara watched as Willow turned her back and began walking to where Buffy waited by Willow's car. _Say something you doofus! She'll be gone in seconds. Say it now!_ "Um, Willow…Willow!"

Willow stopped and looked over her shoulder, Tara could have been mistaken but she was sure there was an expectant look on her impish face.

"T-There's a costume party at the Kitten next Saturday night, I-I was wondering if you would like to go with…g-g with m-me?" Tara asked quietly, her stutter had never been so pronounced and she swallowed before she continued. "The theme is Saints and Sinners."

"Hmmm, I know which one I'd rather be," murmured Willow quietly, but just loud enough so Tara could hear.

"Will!" Buffy snapped from where she was becoming impatient by the car, she had heard Willow's little comment as well. "We have work to do…hello! Earth to Willow."

"Y-you'll be seeing me tomorrow night anyway…for your…magic lesson" Tara added for want of a better descriptor.

"Ah-huh," Willow nodded, unable to draw herself away from the blonde. "I guess I'll see you."

"Willow!"

With one last very sheepish grin Willow turned away from Tara and joined Buffy in walking towards the station. Buffy angrily cuffed Willow across the back of her head and Willow yelped in protest.

"Hey!" she rubbed her sore head, Buffy didn't know her own strength sometimes.

"I liked you a lot better when you loved 'em and left 'em…now you're just trouble!" Buffy muttered, "If I find you daydreaming while we're supposed to be working then there will be hell to pay! And you'll owe me donuts for the next month!"

"I thought you were all supportive of me in my quest to win over Tara?" Willow unlocked the car and hopped in.

Buffy clambered in the passenger side, she continued to glare at Willow, "I am, but not to the point that it interferes with our work…you know I'm not a huge fan of working too hard but I do like getting paid to keep myself in donuts and stylish yet affordable boots. I can see where this is going and in that place lies questions from superiors and a stern talking to leading to handing in of badges!"

"I lo…really like her Buff…really like her," Willow said quietly, glancing back over her shoulder to see Tara still watching her, she waved before starting the car.

"That's what I'm worried about!" Buffy snapped, absently stroking the badge in her pocket while looking at her stylish yet affordable boots.

"If we get fired I'll buy you some new boots," Willow assured her.

"Shut up and drive Willow, you're already forcing me to work on a Sunday…you are not getting back in my good books for a very long time," Buffy folded her arms across her chest and huffed grumpily.


	10. Getting Down to (Magical) Business

**Chapter Ten  
Getting Down to (Magical) Business  
**

In what was a very rare, in fact probably unheard of occurrence, Tara Maclay and Rupert Giles were arguing heatedly. The last customer had left the Magic Box at 5pm and the pair were cashing up while waiting for Willow to show up for her first magic lesson. Giles had taken the opportunity to suggest that they bind Willow's powers without her knowledge. He had suggested it quite casually as though he was asking Tara what she was having for dinner. Tara had responded predictably, given her benevolent nature in general…and her feelings towards Willow.

"I won't bind Willow against her will," Tara said in a quiet but vehement voice, standing with her fists placed firmly on her hips in her most defiant posture. "I'll ask her."

"Can we honestly leave such a choice up to someone who understands so little of how magic works? We know what's best for Willow, shouldn't that be enough?" Giles protested, removing his glasses and giving them a thorough clean.

Tara could not believe her ears and she was sorely tempted to leave the room and come back in just in case she was imagining all of this. Her mentor, whom she trusted with her life, had suggested a course of action that went against his principles - at least what she always thought had been his principles. It was now that she realised these principles could be dispensed with according to the situation.

"I don't understand, Giles," Tara felt sick to her stomach for arguing with Giles in the first place, and for what he was suggesting. "This isn't at all like you."

"It's not like me because this isn't something that we have ever had to deal with," Giles replied, his own voice also firm, "Willow represents a very real threat and I for one cannot help but think that her magicks are linked into everything that is happening at present. The fact that she was able to find us, even with the Heart's Fire spell in place, makes my very wary of her indeed…very wary. I'm concerned that she may not be who she appears to be. As such, I feel that binding her powers without her knowledge is the entirely appropriate course of action and will keep us all safe, Willow included."

"It's wrong." Tara hung her head, ashamed that they were even having this discussion.

"Would you feel differently if Willow was clearly evil…or if you felt nothing towards her?" Giles was playing hardball.

Tara looked up with shock written all over her face. She was shocked that Giles would even think to play her like that and force her into giving opinions on hypothetical situations.

"Yes," she replied defensively, before her face fell slightly and she continued in a much quieter voice, "Maybe not if she was clearly not evil."

"My point!" Giles seized upon her words triumphantly as he pointed a finger in the air.

Suddenly, angered by his attitude, Tara's eyes blazed directly at Giles. "But she's not evil…and my feelings towards her are entirely irrelevant! So back off!"

Giles gaped and stared goggle-eyed at Tara, struck speechless for a good minute at uncharacteristic anger in Tara's voice. He had hoped that she would come to see his point of view. While Willow could quite possibly be innocent, she was just as likely to be evil…therefore they had nothing to lose by binding her powers and everything to gain.

His reply began rather feebly, "I-I…"

"I'll ask her," Tara replied in a firm voice that would tolerate no further discussion.

With a sigh, Giles replaced his glasses. Although he knew full well that Tara was right, it did not make him feel any better about her decision. If it had been purely up to him, Willow's powers would have been bound with the strongest binding spell that could possibly be concocted. For some reason, he didn't trust the usually chirpy redhead…and a Watcher had to listen to his instincts.

"I'm just worried…" Giles began slowly.

"So am I," Tara agreed and continued. "I'm worried about Willow. She's so vulnerable right now, I'm afraid for her."

Giles couldn't contain a derisive snort "I would hardly call a tough as nails detective who sets fire to things at will, vulnerable."

Tara silenced him with the fiercest glare that she could summon and they resumed cashing up the till in silence. It was mere minutes later that the doorbell chimed to admit a much cheerier Willow Rosenberg. Tara was relieved to see that she had at least showered and changed her clothes. She was looking decidedly casual, wearing jeans and a tight hooded sweatshirt, which made her look absolutely adorable.

"Hey, here and reporting for action!" Willow said brightly, striding over to where Tara and Giles were standing by the shop counter, she blushed the colour of her hair. "Um, magic type action…not any other kind!"

If Willow could sense the tension between Tara and Giles, she gave no sign of it. She leant against the counter, barely a metre from Tara and watched the blonde's slender fingers as she poured coins into bank bags. Tara felt heat rising up the back of her neck, as she knew Willow was looking directly at her.

It was a few more moments until they had finished their end of the day routine by which time Tara felt as though her entire body was on fire in Willow's presence. Willow obviously had no idea of her effect on the blonde, as she stood hunched over a book the lay on the counter. Her little nose was wrinkled, there was slight furrow in her brow and the tiniest corner of pink tongue appeared from her mouth, all signs that she was deep in concentration.

"I'm going to put all this in the safe, Tara. You might want to take Willow through to the training room?" Giles managed a small, but decidedly forced, smile.

Tara just nodded and turned to Willow who slammed shut her book with apparent eagerness. It was then that Tara saw the cover and read the title '101 Most Useful Magical Plants and Herbs'. She glanced back up to Willow and saw there was a twinkle in the redhead's eye. Both knew that there was no way Willow had been entirely engrossed in the book, rather she had been concentrating on a certain blonde out of the corner of her eye.

"So, what's gonna happen?" Willow asked once Tara had shown her back into the training room which Willow clearly recognised as the site of their encounter the day before. "I don't have spell books, or a cat, rat or toad."

Willow settled herself on a stack of exercise mats up against the wall while Tara stood a few metres away, her arms folded across her chest.

Tara smiled warmly. "You really have to stop relying on Harry Potter as your source of magical information. It's misleading to say the least."

"Well then I'll have to rely on you instead…and Mr Giles of course," Willow replied quickly and confidently.

Tara sighed, she wasn't entirely sure that Willow should rely on the two of them. Giles seemed determined to reduce Willow to a shell of who she actually was, while she herself couldn't tell up from down in Willow's presence. It was as though the redhead took everything that was carefully ordered and in its proper place and then put it in a blender. Right from wrong, good from evil - Tara could no longer be sure she knew the difference. Willow blurred all the lines of sensible definition.

Tara wanted to get what she had to say out of the way before Giles came back. She was determined that he would have no part in the conversation about binding. Most likely he would 'assume crash positions' and paint Willow a worst-case scenario picture of what may happen to her if her powers remained unfettered.

"Willow, what would you say if I told you there was a spell that may bind your powers?" Tara asked quietly, looking directly into Willow's eyes.

Willow appeared confused. "Bind? You mean like tie them up in some way? That's a funny choice of words, how can you bind something that isn't really real…I mean, it is real but not in a solid kinda way?"

"It's the same principle as taking something solid and binding it with rope…although it's just done magically. Think of it as tying something up so it cannot escape. In this case, your magicks. Do you get it at all?"

"I think so, so if I tried to use them…they couldn't come out, nothing would go poof?"

"Absolutely no poofing," Tara assured her.

"Will anything happen to me?" Willow had to be sure, it all sounded too good to be true. "Side effects, like growing warts or putting on weight…cos I kinda like my arse the way it is now."

_So do I_, Tara thought, trying to smother a grin that wanted to emerge at the most inappropriate time, "Nope, no warty side-effects. Although it is important to remember that the magicks will still be there, learning control and meditation will still be crucial."

Willow nodded, she had been worried that the binding spell would also remove the need for further magic lessons. She wasn't keen on giving up her regular meetings with Tara. At that moment Giles walked in and Willow leapt up from the pile of mats as though she had been doing something decidedly iniquitous instead of just sitting.

"Hi, Mr Giles, I was just talking to Tara…just talking, no closer than this….although I was a little further away because I was sitting down here," Willow patted the mats and looked to Giles for a measure of approval. "Oh, and we were talking about binding me…well, not tying me up in a kinky sex sort of way, in a magical way…and I should just shut up before I really say something embarrassing."

Willow already appeared embarrassed enough, her whole face, right to the tip of her ears had gone red. Tara felt a warm, unbidden flutter in her heart that had begun sometime during Willow's latest babbling fit and built into a crescendo when the redhead grinned apologetically.

_I know it's stupid to go on mannerisms alone…but how on earth can someone like that be evil? Look at her! She's gorgeous, well evil people can be gorgeous too…but gorgeous on the inside?_

"How do you feel about that Willow?" Giles asked gently, almost on the verge of being patronising, Tara winced slightly.

"I think it's a fantastic idea…bind away…although can you be gentle?" Willow's voice was so innocent, Tara found herself nodding with a smile as the redhead continued. "And can I ask about the 'may' part of what you said, Tara. When you told me about the binding spell, you said it 'may' bind my magicks. Might it not work?"

Giles gave Tara a 'look' and Tara replied with one of her own, smile instantly wiped from her face. For the first time Willow realised the undercurrent that ran between the two of them, she dismissed it as none of her business. Giles quickly gave her a reassuring smile and the moment had passed.

"I cannot guarantee that it will work, there are certain rules that must be followed of course otherwise people would run around binding each other all the time. I doubt very much whether we'll run into any problems…will you being a willing participant and all," Giles said smoothly.

Willow nodded as though she understood…which she did, a little at least.

"Capital, simply capital," Giles responded, on the whole appearing much more enthusiastic. "Some of the preparations are quite time consuming however, and there are a few things I need to gather together…I think Saturday night would be the perfect time."

Just as Willow's face fell, Tara interrupted Giles' musings. "I think Sunday would be better…we're busy on Friday."

Willow sighed with relief. She didn't exactly want to get her powers bound on the same day as her date with Tara, the Saints and Sinners party at the Kitten. She felt as though it would be the magical equivalent of having a bikini wax done on the same day as a date.

"Sunday then!" Giles replied, Tara could see that he was happy just to be doing it…although she knew that he would be thinking the sooner the better. "Right, lessons, I thought we'd start today with meditation. Willow, if you'd like to take a seat opposite me on the mat."

Giles sat down on a training mat which lay on the floor, his long legs folded beneath him. Willow looked decidedly dubious and disappointed that Tara was not doing it with her.

Tara sensed it clearly. "Mr Giles is the expert on meditation - you'll be fine."

Willow gave in and came to sit opposite Giles on the mat so their knees were almost touching. She had been sitting for barely a few seconds when her knee started bouncing as though she had a tic. Giles' hand shot out grabbed it, forcing her to stop.

"Sorry, just nervous," Willow replied apologetically, trying to stop fidgeting of any sort.

By the time Tara walked her out to her car an hour later, Willow felt as though she were sleep walking. She could still hear Giles' rather soothing voice droning inside her head as he implored her to find her 'energy centre' and work on bringing it under control. Willow wasn't sure she had found anything besides a very nice image of Tara's arse in leather pants…so the session had not been entirely wasted.

The pair reached Willow's car and the now standard awkwardness between them ensued. It was the awkwardness felt by two people who clearly had feelings for one another but weren't quite sure what those feelings were…or how to find out.

Willow turned and pressed her back up against the cool metal of her car. She silently willed that Tara's body would press up against hers, pinning her firmly against the car as their lips converged. Tara stopped well short of fulfilling Willow's fantasy and once again folded her arms tightly across her chest as though she were protecting something.

"Don't be discouraged if you didn't feel much of anything tonight. It takes a while to become comfortable enough to open yourself up."

The corners of Willow's lips curled ever so slightly. "Open myself up? Tara, forgive me but it all sounds like a load of bunkum right now. I know I need to take this seriously, but seriously I'm feeling more than a little out of my element."

"That's where Giles and I come in…Willow, I assure you that you can trust us, the binding spell, I told you everything I know. On Sunday I'll explain everything to you before it happens, I won't do anything to you without your knowledge," Tara said firmly, it seemed to Willow almost as if she were apologising for something. "I said 'may' because binding spells don't always work. For instance, binding an enemy would be difficult, requiring a great deal more power simply to overcome their resistance."

"And I'm not an enemy!" Willow swallowed quickly as though nervous. "I trust you, I do…and…are you doing that spell, or is Giles? Cos it's totally okay if Giles is doing it!"

Tara felt her cheeks burning once more, as they often did in Willow's presence. "The spell requires magicks, and Mr Giles, while he is well versed in magical lore and theory, isn't endowed in that department. So I guess you'll be stuck with me for that one."

"Something I can live with!" Willow replied with a twinkle in her eye.

An awkward silence returned and the only conversation Willow could think of was entirely inappropriate given the fact that they hardly knew each other and they had not even shared a kiss let alone what was running through her dirty little mind.

_Bad Willow, bad!_ Willow inwardly chastised herself. "Um, I guess I had better be going."

Tara smiled. "I had better go put in some quality Mommy-time. Ashley doesn't seem worried but I haven't been spending much time with her over the past week."

"She'd definitely be missing you…say hi to her for me won't you?" Willow hoped that wasn't inappropriate, she did enjoy spending time with the precocious little girl.

"No problem, she sure does like you, keeps talking about wanting to be a detective when she grows up. Goodbye, Willow," Tara finally uncrossed her arms and gave a funny little wave.

On instinct, Willow reached out and picked up Tara's hand. She felt a thrill at feeling the smooth skin against her own. She wasn't quite bold enough to intertwine their fingers but she did grip it firmly. She was overjoyed when Tara did not pull away and met her gaze.

"I'm really looking forward to Saturday," Willow whispered quietly.

"M-me t-to," Tara didn't dare to try and get more words out, her stutter was working overtime.

They stood like that for a few minutes, the silence between them no longer awkward but comfortable. It was as though the touch of skin allowed them a better understanding of one another, a familiarity that brought with it contentment.

Willow felt that peace once more, the peace that had proved so elusive over the past few days and she bathed in it. Although Giles had worked with her for an hour to find her spiritual self and had failed…she found it in mere minutes with Tara.

* * *

Tara gave a last wave as Willow's red car pulled away from the curb and off down the street. She watched until it was out of sight and then sank down to the curb, tucking her legs beneath her. Tonight had taken a toll on her emotionally and spiritually. While she savoured every moment of Willow's company, she couldn't stop dwelling on the fears that Giles had voiced so relentlessly.

Despite the fact that she did not share Giles' instinctive doubts about the redhead, Tara was utterly aware of the danger she represented. At Giles' insistence, she had removed the Heart's Fire spell in order to prevent any drain on her own life force but the spell's lingering residue still had an effect. It was minuscule, and yet for someone as aware as Tara, it was uncomfortable. This discomfort had combined with Giles' rather negative presence during the evening to give her an insistent headache. It pounded lightly at the back of her head and threatened to go supernova in a matter of minutes.

Tara rubbed her forehead wearily; she had long since given up wishing that her life would just be normal. Someone or something was out to get her, going as far as to make sure that her love life was as catastrophic and complicated as possible. She had known Willow Rosenberg for a matter of weeks. For all intensive purposes, the redhead was an untrained, unpredictable dark witch…and yet she craved to see her. It was almost as though nothing else mattered.

Not quite…

At that moment Tara had a very sharp reminder of what was good and constant in her life in the form of a miniature whirlwind. Small arms flew around her neck and hugged to the point of suffocation. It was an assassin in the form of a small girl.

"Hi Mom!" Ashley said brightly, releasing her stranglehold on her mother. "Was wondering when you were coming up, Faith and me cooked dinner. It's getting cold."

Tara swivelled around so she could look the little monkey in the eye, she cocked an eyebrow playfully, "You and Faith cooked? Should I be worried about attempts to poison me?"

There was a very large dollop of red sauce on Ashley's cheek, as well as on the front of her sweater. Tara had to guess that whatever they were having was tomato flavoured.

Ashley giggled and replied emphatically, "I wouldn't poison you! I love you!"

Tara smiled. "Help me up kiddo, let's go eat this culinary wonder you've created."


	11. Of Hell and Heaven

**Chapter 11  
Of Hell...and Heaven**

On the Wednesday morning of that week, Captain Diebel was sceptical to say the least when Buffy and Willow informed him of the next target of the Circle Murders. He frowned over the name before looking up at them sharply.

"You don't have any leads at all and then you suddenly have the name of the next victim? How did you come by this information?" their precinct commander asked in uncompromising tone.

"One of our informants," Willow replied quickly. "He heard through the underground networks that this was to be the next victim and passed it on to us - for a price of course"

Giles had telephoned her that afternoon to inform them that he had traced the line of coven member Elizabeth Beaumont to Alan Gibson, a ridiculously wealthy IT baron who had made his money in online trading. As the youngest of the line, his daughter Chelsea had to be the third seal.

"The teenage daughter of one of the richest men in town?" Diebel narrowed his eyes at the pair of them, "I am of course reluctant to cause Mr Gibson unjustifiable worry but if your informant is correct then he will no doubt want to get his daughter somewhere safe, no doubt out of town altogether. I'll make available a special squad to accompany you to the Gibson's house, you are to inform the Gibson's of the situation and assist them in making any plans for their daughter's safety - am I understood?"

"Yes sir," Buffy and Willow replied in unison.

"Summers and Rosenberg, I want you to accept with appropriate humility that you are two of my best detectives," Diebel swallowed as though it was difficult for him to hand out honest praise. "This is a difficult case and I appreciate the lengths to which both of you have gone in order to solve it. I would also however greatly appreciate a swift resolution. The press is steadily latching onto the 'Circle Murders' and our lack of leads. This case involves dead children, detectives. We need resolution before any more are murdered. I do not want this reflecting badly on the department. Understood?"

"I heartily agree, sir," Buffy said as she cast a sideways glance at Willow, she was satisfied to see Willow's jaw set firmly in what she knew to be an expression of determination.

"Understood," was all Willow said in reply.

When both detectives left Diebel's office they felt a mixture of relief and trepidation. While their work on the case had not so far come into question, the pressure was being applied for them to pull out all the stops in order to apprehend whoever was behind the Circle Murders.

"Swift resolution," Buffy said quietly to Willow as they made their way back to their office. "You know what that means."

Willow opened the door for Buffy and once inside they set about making preparations to pay a call to the Gibson residence. Including checking their form-fitting Kevlar vests and their ammunition supplies.

"Further dependence on the work that Mr Giles is doing for us," Willow replied in a monotone as she holstered her weapon and pulled on her suit jacket. "Which is fine."

Buffy made an angry sound of annoyance and waited for Willow to look at her. When she finally did it was with a questioning look on her face, as though she wondered what Buffy's problem was.

"Will, don't you think we ought to come clean to Diebel as to where all our info is coming from?" Buffy asked desperately.

Willow sighed and gave Buffy a tired look. "A thousand times no, Buffy. He could throw us off the case, or worse, lock the gang all up as potential suspects."

"You might have a point there. I'm not entirely sure I trust any of them." Buffy said as she snapped a clip into her weapon, "Not your girlfriend, her grandfather."

"Tara's not my girlfriend and Mr Giles isn't that old!" Willow protested.

"Whatever, I don't trust him. Mr and Mrs Scooby or that brunette, leather-clad, Harley-riding…woman!" the conviction left Buffy's voice for a moment when it came to mentioning Faith but she gathered herself together and continued her tirade in full force. "Aren't you worried about the fact that your sudden appearance of magical powers happens to coincide with meeting them?"

"Buff, I don't think-" Willow began, she was cut short as Buffy continued.

"They're using you, Willow! Can't you see it? I wouldn't be surprised if they gave you those powers to suit their own purposes," Buffy watched the colour drain from Willow's already pale face. "What if they are involved in the murders?"

_That's absolutely ridiculous…Tara would never…hang on, how well do I really know her. I feel as though I've always known her._ To be honest, Willow wasn't entirely sure what to make of her intuition when it came to the blonde. She did feel as though she'd always known her but it was difficult to explain. It was as though they were age-old enemies, as though their endless duel brought familiarity to their relationship, but also an enmity that would never disappear.

Willow could not deny that she was terribly worried about the surfacing of her latent magical talent. She understood so little of it, and felt as though Giles and Tara could explain much more than they were letting on. However, her stubborn pride would not allow her to accept the warning coming from Buffy.

"You're calling me blind? Listen to yourself! You're grasping at straws. They have never been anything but helpful, from the moment I walked into that magic shop!"

"Hello? My point exactly-" began Buffy in a snarky tone.

Willow grabbed her car keys and silenced Buffy with an upraised hand. "I can't do this right now. Let's go and see if Mr Giles' research was correct, somebody has to start trusting around here," Buffy began to scowl and Willow spoke quickly to placate her, "and I'll be exceptionally careful okay?"

"I'm not letting you out of my sight," Buffy replied grumpily.

* * *

Almost half an hour later Buffy and Willow stood outside the Gibson's pretentious abode on Fitzgerald Street. The gates were open so they walked straight up to the front door. Four uniformed officers wearing Kevlar vests followed closely at their heels, too closely until Buffy spun around and told them to keep their distance. Nothing seemed to get people more upset than seeing armoured police officers carrying automatic weapons as it usually denoted mortal peril. The house lay in silence and Willow hated eerie silences.

Willow rapped firmly on the door, while Buffy made an obvious show of pressing the doorbell which was located off to one side. The eerie silence was the only immediate answer.

"Don't people like this have a butler or something?" Buffy jabbed the door bell again and again, but still no answer was forthcoming. "Should we have thought to call ahead? They might be-"

A blood-curdling scream rent the air, it sounded as though it were originating from within the house. Instinctively, Willow and Buffy drew their weapons and the officers behind them automatically fanned protectively on either side of them.

"What in the frilly heck?" Willow's hand moved towards the door.

Buffy had other plans, she shoved Willow to one side and signalled to the officers to move forward. One swiftly opened the door and in a rapid-fire movement all four were inside the lobby of the Gibson house. Their weapons trained on all vantage points, menacing black barrels roaming from side to side with dangerous precision. Buffy and Willow followed in a guarded manner, their weapons also raised.

Upon their entry into the house, further sounds issued from the above floor of the house. There was a great deal of thudding to and fro.

"Oh shit! We're too late!" Willow hissed, she pushed past the cops and made for the stairs, Buffy hard on her heels.

It was a worst-case scenario. They had hoped to arrive in time to spirit the family to safety. Willow and Buffy were thoroughly sick of constantly being one step behind their unknown enemy. Finally they had the info to get ahead only to be cruelly thwarted at the last possible moment.

Willow had no sooner made it to the landing at the top of the stairs when a trio of men emerged from a doorway off to one side. None of them appeared surprised to see Willow, they simply advanced towards her. Each wore a black robe which was tied at the waist and fell down around their knees. In their hands they carried wickedly long, curved knives. With her sharp eyes Willow noted that the knife held by the man nearest her was bloodied and her heart sank.

"Stop right there! Come any closer and I'll blow your fucking heads off!" Willow yelled, keeping her gun trained on the one with the bloodied knife.

"I second that!' Buffy was at Willow's side almost instantly, her weapon also trained on the group of men with a steady hand.

They took absolutely no heed of the detective's warnings, springing forward en masse. Both Willow and Buffy were forced to open fire. Willow's bullet slammed into the shoulder of one and Buffy's into the forehead of another. Neither had time to question their actions as the remaining villain continued to advance.

"Stop!" Willow growled, seconds later Buffy put a bullet in his head and he dropped sharply to the ground.

"Buffy, stop shooting them in the head!" Willow snapped.

"Can't help it!" Buffy hissed in reply, kicking the knife away from the outstretched hand of the man Willow had wounded.

Three more figures emerged from the room. The central figure, flanked by two more henchmen, chilled the detectives to the bone. The cowl of his hood hung low over his face, rendering most of the visage in darkness save for a marble white chin. His robe was black, tied at the waist with gold braid and from his neck hung a solid, gold pendant. When the detectives raised their weapons he raised his hand and uttered in a harsh, guttural tone,

"Exarmo!" accompanied with a flick of his wrist.

Both Willow and Buffy were powerless as their weapons flew out of their hands and cluttered down the stairs, beneath the feet of the cops who were approaching warily behind them. Suddenly one of the flanking figures lunged at Buffy and snatched her wrist, twisting her entire body. Buffy was a strong young woman but she could do nothing as he took hold of her and in one swift movement sent her crashing over the balcony and down to the lobby below.

"Get her out of the way," the marble-faced man hissed to his other henchman, he indicated Willow with a flick of his wrist.

Willow had no time to do anything as the burly, and particularly nasty smelling man, slammed her up against the wall and out of the path of what was to come. Her face was jammed up against the wall but she could still see the four officers. They were stalwart in the face of unknown danger.

"Take them down!" the sergeant yelled to his colleagues.

"No! Get out of here!" Willow screamed in desperation, knowing it was much too late.

Before they had a chance to open fire a single word issued from the warlock's mouth, "Cremo!"

The word was accompanied by a searing bolt of fire from the man's outstretched palm. Willow felt the heat as it tore past her and down the stairs. It struck the four officers advancing up them with devastating effect. Their screams rung in Willow's head, and she was forced to watch as they tried in vain to extinguish their bodies. Gritting her teeth she brought her knee hard up as hard as she could into the man's groin, finding him to be very real and solid and entirely human in the manner in which he grunted and dropped to his knees. Once he was down she delivered a perfectly timed drop kick to his head, snapping it backwards and knocking him out cold. With lightening fast reactions Willow was blocking the next punch thrown her way before she had even fully regained her balance. In the narrow confines of the stair landing, the blow sent her spinning back into the wall. She lashed out with another kick but the man caught it and twisted her leg cruelly. Willow yelped in pain as she fell heavily to the ground.

"Stand aside, I want to look at her!"

Willow watched as the leader swept his man aside and advanced on her, she scrambled backwards towards the stairs. His face contorted into what was supposed to pass as a smile.

"Stop!" Willow growled, wondering how on earth she turned on her own fireworks.

He continued to move forward, now less than a metre from her, his hand outstretched to touch her. Willow was crawling with revulsion at the very thought of his shock white skin upon her own, she felt the top of the first stair with her fingertips. Just as he was almost upon her he stopped in his tracks, enveloped within a translucent jelly like substance, which allowed him to move no further towards her. He pressed against it but it held fast. It reminded Willow of someone pressing up against sandwich wrap. His was face expressionless as he took a step back.

"Dispergo!" he flicked his wrist in the direction of the barrier.

Willow winced as he did so, but the substance stubbornly remained hanging in the air between him, effectively barring him from coming any closer to her. Gingerly, she rose to her feet, reaching out a hand to steady herself on the banister. All the while she kept her eyes focused on his beady little ones, which stared back at her relentlessly.

They faced each other, a bare metre apart. Slowly he removed his hood and let it settle down over his shoulders. Willow saw firsthand his twisted visage. His skin went beyond wrinkled, it was dried and shrivelled so much that every plane of his skull showed beneath it. His head was bare save a few straggly, long strands of shock white hair growing around his ears. His eyes were sunk deep into their sockets and Willow shuddered to see that they were a mirror image of her own at times...obsidian black. For all intensive purposes Willow would have said he appeared to be dead. Except for the fact that he was clearly breathing, a raspy, rattling sound that issued from his throat and chilled her to the bone.

"So, I meet my creation at last," he wheezed, his voice sounded as though it were being squeezed out of a set of bellows. "I am well pleased."

Any number of replies ran through Willow's head but they all seemed incredibly juvenile in the face of the monster in front of her. Her reply was a stony silence, her face grim and determined even as her knees went weak.

"Have you nothing to say to your father?" he asked, cocking his head to one side.

Willow frowned angrily. "Gross! My father is Ira Rosenberg. Granted, he's not really much of a father, but he did the deed with my Mom!"

"Your birth father yes, but I created who you are today, you are made in my image and as I can see, you are every bit as powerful," he continued to rasp.

"Hello, are you blind?" the fact that the sandwich-wrap-shield was still holding emboldened Willow slightly. "Me, one hot mama yama…you, one ugly mother-fucker!"

"I love your humour – such youthful vigour. You will see shortly…but until then, I must go," he waved his hand with a mumbled word Willow could not hear.

Willow blinked and he was gone along with his two cohorts, as though she had imagined them altogether. However, the clammy feeling she felt all over her body told her otherwise. She only had moments to reflect before she remembered her partner…and the officers that had accompanied them. Willow whirled around and was about to run down the stairs when she stopped in horror at the sight which befell her. Three bodies lay in contorted poses on the stairs, each blackened and unrecognisable. Willow felt sick to her stomach, she gagged once before managing to calm her raging innards. There was absolutely nothing she could do for them besides feel responsible for their death. She and Buffy had known full well what sort of power they were up against and yet they had brought them here with little warning and no extra protection.

She fought her way past the bodies, the smell of burnt flesh threatening to overwhelm her. Once at the bottom she saw the fourth officer had fallen over the banister. He lay a few metres from Buffy's still form. Willow gasped and quickly crossed the short distance in a few bounds. She knelt by her friend and reached out to brush the hair which had fallen across her face. Buffy suddenly jerked upright into a sitting position. Her eyes wild but she calmed when she saw Willow.

"Holy fuck," Buffy whispered quietly.

"Buff! My god, how is your neck not broken?"

Buffy experimentally tilted her head from side to side and found nothing out of the ordinary. However, when she tried to move her left arm she yelped in pain. Willow looked down at it to see the bone clearly protruding in unnatural ways beneath the skin.

"Super strength," Buffy whispered weakly. "Although not quite enough."

"I'm calling for backup, Buff," Willow fumbled for her mobile phone. "Then we'll go see about getting that arm fixed.

"What happened to you? You're chalk white?" Buffy asked. "And you're shaking…how did they let you off?"

"I know kung-fu," Willow tried to smile but it came out as a grimace.

"Will, I've seen your kung-fu, you couldn't hold off an old lady with a handbag!"

"I-I don't know…I wasn't important I guess," Willow ended the conversation by dialling her phone.

Both detectives knew that this case would explode with the deaths of the four officers. They would both be in for a huge amount of questioning as to what exactly had happened.

Willow only hoped that her skills as a liar were up to scratch. There was no way she was letting out what passed between her and corpse-man…not even to Tara.

* * *

"How incredibly cliché, T," Faith dismissed Tara's costume almost contemptuously. "An angel of all things! What's the bet that Willow turns up as the devil?"

Tara whirled in front of the mirror, wrinkling her brow as she tried to discern whether her outfit really was as bad as Faith claimed. She was wearing a white dress with a tight bodice, flowing down and clinging tightly to her hips before flaring out to billow around her legs as she moved. Ashley had insisted on making her wear her a pair of angel wings and a sparkly, golden plastic halo. The halo was nestled atop a head full of golden curls. Maybe it was a little too childlike.

"I don't know what Willow is going as," Tara sighed. "Do you think it's that bad?"

Faith laughed. "Don't listen to me, besides, Ashley said you were pretty so that must count for something."

Tara sighed, the week's events were weighing heavily on her mind and the last thing she felt like doing was going to a party. Another child had died, a sixteen year old girl who had been gorgeous, vibrant and full of life.

"I don't know if it's appropriate to be going to the party after what happened to Willow and Buffy on Wednesday," Tara had heard the redhead's account through Giles who had fielded the phone call from Willow.

From what she understood it had been a case of disastrous timing, arriving at the house at precisely the same moment as the villains finished their vile task. Willow and Buffy had come face to face with a man whom Willow described as a 'walking corpse.' In the scuffle that followed, all four of the officers with them had been killed and Buffy had been extremely lucky to escape with only a broken arm. Willow had wounded one but he had unfortunately bitten a poison tooth and committed suicide before she could ask him anything.

"T, there is no way that you are going to let those sickos interfere with your love life, you are getting some booty tonight and that's that!" Faith said firmly.

"Willow and Buffy have had a rough time at work," Tara felt guilty even though it had nothing to do with her.

"Which is precisely why they both need a night out on the town!" Faith insisted.

Tara frowned and was about to query the 'they both' part of Faith's statement when there was a knock on the door. It was a very timid knock at first, followed by one which was more insistent as though the knocker were steadily gathering courage.

"Allow me," Faith bounded to her feet, eager to see Willow's costume, almost shoving Tara out of the way in the process.

Willow was about to wrap on the door for a third time, fearing that Tara may have gone into hiding to avoid going out with her after all, when the door swung open to reveal Faith. Willow blushed red, skin almost blending in with her hair, she had expectedly to only have to talk to Tara rather than the feisty slayer whom she still could not quite fathom. Not to mention her strange flirtation with Buffy which thoroughly weirded her out.

"Whoa Red, nice outfit!" Faith grinned and Willow for the life of her could not tell whether she was being serious or inwardly mocking her.

"Thanks," she mumbled, "Is Tara-"

"She's right here," Faith stepped aside to reveal Tara in all her magnificence.

The angel outfit had its intended impact on Willow who was struck entirely speechless. The expression on her face was entirely out of place with her costume.

Tara couldn't help but let out one of her beautiful laughs when she saw Willow. The young detective had opted to go 'butch', she was clad in a stunning suit of armour and chain mail, topped off with a white surcoat emblazoned with a red dragon.

"Saint George I presume?" Tara reached out to lay a finger on Willow's chest, tracing the outline of the dragon ever so gently.

"Well yes, it is a saints and sinners party so I guess I took it a little too literally…but the costume place had this…and it fit so well…and I guess it was rather presumptuous of me to want to be your knight in shinning armour but here I am," Willow went down onto one knee and took Tara's hand in her own before depositing a small kiss on her knuckle, then she resumed her furious blushing.

"You look very dashing," Tara replied, feeling the heat rise in her own cheeks at the thought of having her very own knight.

Willow stood up with a small amount of effort, the armour creaking slightly. There were footsteps on the stairs and Willow quickly stood, letting go her grip on Tara's hand as she did so. She looked over her shoulder to see Giles coming up the steps with a broad smile on his face, to add further insult to embarrassment he let out a low whistle of appreciation at the beautiful attired pair.

"G-Giles, what are you doing over tonight?" Tara stammered a little awkwardly, although she couldn't quite fathom why as she had absolutely no reason to be ashamed of her beautiful date.

"Faith asked me to baby sit, so here I am."

Tara turned and gave Faith an eyeful.

"Well, you don't expect me to miss out on a good party do you?" Faith asked with raised eyebrows.

No one needed to respond to her question. The conversation petered out, Giles turned to Willow and the redhead's rather cheerful visage faded noticeably. It was their first face to face meeting since the fiasco on Wednesday night. Willow could tell that Giles wanted to be brought up to speed on everything that had happened. Her good mood ebbed even further, she had spent the rest of the week going over everything with her colleagues at the bureau…so much so that by the end of it all her head hurt from trying to cover up her use of magicks that night.

Faith glared at Giles angrily, "Don't even start with shop talk Mister! We are all going out and having as good a time as possible in this shitty city! You can grill Willow tomorrow."

Willow smiled weakly. She didn't like the sound of 'grill.'

"Are you going to dress up?" Giles tactfully changed the topic as he looked at Faith's long coat.

Faith laughed in reply. "I'm going as myself of course."

"Yes, now there's a sinner if ever I've seen one," Tara rolled her eyes.

"I'll see you guys there, I have to swing by and pick Buffy up," Faith waved and started down the stairs.

"Buffy?" Willow asked. "Buffy as in **my** Buffy?"

"No, Buffy as in **my** Buffy," Faith replied with a wink, with a toss of her brown curls she was off down the stairs and out the front door.

* * *

Willow and Tara walked hand in hand into the Kitten and surveyed the scene around them. Nearly every single woman there had gone to the effort to dress in costume. Willow noted quite a few devils and even more angels - although none were as beautiful as her own date. She scanned the room for a few moments and decided with satisfaction that Tara was the best looking woman there.

Faith chose that moment to arrive just behind them; she gave both Tara and Willow firm whacks on their respective arse cheeks. Willow spun around and glared, it was a form of greeting that she did not think would catch on. Just as she had said, Faith was herself…although if it were possible she was attired even more skankily that usual. Her skirt was little more than a belt and her top practically transparent. Willow's face reddened when she saw it was indeed transparent…and Faith wasn't wearing bra. The most substantial item of clothing she wore were her chunky 'Fuck me' boots.

"Hey, Will."

Willow hadn't even noticed Buffy come in with Faith. Her blonde partner was almost unrecognisable in a nun's habit and the very opposite of her sexy 'date.'

"Lookin' good, Buff," Willow couldn't suppress a smirk.

"Shut up, Will," Buffy mumbled, trying to pull her wimple over her face, the tip of her cast peeked out from beneath her sleeve.

"Can I say again how cute you two look," Faith smiled sweetly. "So cute I could puke. Now let's go and get this nun a drink."

"I think I'd like a dance first," Willow said as she turned to Tara, quite anxious to be as alone as possible with her beautiful date.

She caught Buffy's look of outrage from the corner of her eye but she was gone quickly as Faith whisked her away, also happy to spend time with her date. Willow just wasn't sure how happy the date was…she made a mental note to try and check on Buffy later in the night.

"My lady," Willow extended her arm to Tara with a gracious bow.

Tara laughed. "Okay, against my better judgement I have decided that you are charming."

Willow beamed, well pleased with herself, as she led Tara out onto the dance floor. She carefully selected an area away from the more boisterous dancers that were liable to jab with their elbows and stand on people's feet.

The two of them settled into a rather awkward motion, neither quite sure exactly what to do with their various limbs. Willow desperately wanted to reach out and place her hand on Tara's waist but was caught up in her own internal monologue.

_That would be too possessive, like you're keeping a grip on her or something…but Tara-waist!_ Willow watched Tara move her hips with perfect rhythm and a sense of grace, although she sensed that the blonde was holding a little something back. _Stop staring for godssake Rosenberg, and whatever you do, don't drool!_

Willow tore her eyes away from Tara's body and instead her eyes went everywhere else, roaming over the other partygoers but not really seeing them.

Tara frowned at Willow's wandering gaze, the redhead seemed to have eyes for everyone in the room save her. She was beginning to think that Faith was right and the outfit was a little too cutsey-wootsey.

_I knew I should have hired the Elektra costume! _Tara thought with a sense of frustration, thinking of her body clad in tight, red leather and inwardly daring Willow to try and keep her eyes off that!

However, Tara was not one for dwelling on mistakes, there was absolutely nothing she could do about her outfit. Instead, upon realising that Willow was not going to act, she took matters into her own hands. With careful, calculated movements, she edged closer to the diminutive, redheaded knight. Before Willow could even realise what was happening, she found that she and Tara were pressed together. Breast to breast, hip to hip. It took all of her pluck to keep herself in one place and not make a hasty retreat. Instead, she reached around Tara's back with her right arm, her hand came to rest in the small of Tara's back. The blonde was no longer holding anything back. Her hips swayed with a rhythm that left Willow struggling to both breathe, and match Tara's pace. Willow knew she was no Fred Astaire, whereas Tara was Ginger Rogers, Madonna and Fergie all rolled into one spectacular woman.

"Can you please tell me if my armour starts to squeak?" Willow almost had to yell in Tara's ear to be heard above the DJ.

She couldn't hear Tara laugh in reply; she just saw her white teeth flash and had to imagine the musical sound. With conversation impossible, Willow could instead concentrate on Tara's presence. Physically, she was breathtaking, every curve, every detail was perfection. From her strong jaw line to her sparkling sapphire eyes, Willow longed to be able to explore those curves and details…praying that Tara might one day give her that opportunity. Tara's spiritual presence was just as captivating, there was an aura about her that Willow tried and failed to comprehend. It had something to do with the sum of her parts…woman, mother, witch and lesbian. They all combined to make Tara.

During her contemplation, Willow had failed to notice her own rising body temperature. The Kitten was packed, bodies pressing up against them from all sides…and Willow was wearing a suit of armour. Tara saw the flushed appearance of Willow's cheeks and brought her thumb up to brush over one cheek lightly. The physical touch brought Willow out of her reverie and she looked to Tara expectantly.

"What do you say to that drink now?" Tara leaned in close.

"I'd say yes please!" Willow sighed dramatically, she felt sure that her armour was going to rust with perspiration. "Lead the way to liquidy nectar!"

"Do you mind if I go to the bathroom first?" Tara asked while they left the dance floor, hating to leave Willow on her own in a throng of lesbians.

"Not at all, um, I'll just be at the bar…ordering aforesaid liquidy nectar. What can I get you?" Willow found her ears were ringing even when they moved away from the speakers.

"Just a diet coke thanks, I think I'll go for refreshing rather than intoxicating." Tara grinned and with a quick pat of Willow's sleeve she threaded into the crowd of people standing around and lounging at high tables.

Willow watched from the bar as Tara made her way through the throng to the bathrooms. She saw far too many other women cast appreciative glances over her date. For a few jealous moments, she wondered whether she should follow Tara and tell everyone to keep their beady eyes off her date. She dismissed this as way too creepy and turned to the bartender to order drinks.

Her order taken, Willow sagged against the bar in exhaustion. While the suit of armour looked fantastic and made her look incredibly tough, it was also damned heavy. Moments later, the bartender slapped her drinks down in front of her and she downed half her beer in a few thirsty gulps.

It seemed like an eternity until Tara returned. Willow was forced to watch as she made her way back across the room. Although it was hardly torture, she loved seeing Tara walk. Her eyes narrowed as woman dressed as catwoman stopped to say a few words to her. Tara smiled and spoke in reply but much to Willow's relief, she quickly moved away.

_Hello, St George…catwoman, no competition, I have a sword!_ Willow puffed out her chest with pride, well as much as it was possible to puff while it was encased in a metal shell.

"I ordered you a drink," Willow indicated the diet coke sitting on the bar beside her.

Tara took a long sip. "Thanks…you look a little hot."

"I'm not used to all this extra weight," Willow tugged at her chest plate beneath the surcoat. "I'm sure it's good for me though, I'm losing pounds just by standing in one place!"

"You want to take it off?" Tara thought that was an extremely good idea.

"Are you kidding, I had padded underwear on! Nothing else!" Willow spluttered, she didn't note that the underwear was particularly hideous.

Tara laughed heartily. "Well, at least let's go outside for some air?"

Willow acquiesced readily, fresh air sounded like a little piece of heaven. She downed what remained of her beer and followed Tara. The blonde held out her hand behind her for Willow to take. Willow felt her sweaty fingers slid into Tara's palm with a decided thrill. It was only when she was outside in the fresh air that she realised how hot she was. They had to walk past all the partygoers who were outside for a cigarette to find the actual fresh air. The two of them ended up beneath a street lamp a good distance away from the club.

"Having a good night?" it was the only line Willow could think of to say instead of, _Can I kiss you?_

The latter was by far the better line but Willow couldn't quite bring up the nerve to say it.

"The best night…I'm so glad you decided to come with me," Tara replied honestly.

"Well, I had to consider all my options carefully, weighing up the other offers I had, writing out the pros and cons of each one," Willow had a thoughtful look on her face before she broke into a warm smile. "Are you kidding, I wouldn't have missed this for the world, being here…with you."

"What? Standing on a grotty street corner just down from a gaggle of smokers?" Tara asked jokingly.

"No," Willow felt emboldened enough to close the gap between them by taking a step forward. "The moment, us all dressed up, I love your costume by the way."

"I thought you hated it. You didn't want to come within a foot of me when we first started dancing!" Tara teased mercilessly. "There I was waiting for big butch dragon slayer to sweep me into her arms but no, she was too busy cowering in her clunky leather boots!"

"I-I…" Willow was lost for an explanation other than that she had been terrified, she settled for another tack. "Look, your halo glimmers in the lamplight. It looks almost real."

"I'm no angel," Tara whispered with a decidedly impish smile, taking her own step forward.

They were mere inches from touching one another. Their closeness without actually touching was driving both of them crazy, without any further warning Tara took another step and closed the gap between them altogether. She surprised Willow who hadn't expected the blonde to make such a bold move. Her lips crushed against Willow's with a quiet intensity at first. It built steadily until Willow reached up her hand to cup Tara's cheek and Tara laid her hand on the back of Willow's neck. Their bodies pressed tightly together, hip to hip as when they were dancing. Tara's breasts were crushed against Willow's armoured breast but she did not notice.

As Willow explored Tara's lips she found them to be every bit as sweet as she had imagined them to be. When Tara let her, she pushed her tongue deep into her mouth and felt a shiver go down her spine.

More than anything in the world, Willow wanted to stay that way forever, where the whole world consisted of just her and Tara and their entwined bodies. She totally forgot that Buffy was trapped in the club with Faith expecting Willow to be on hand to rescue her. For that moment, just one moment, there were no murders, no dark magic or gloomy clouds of mistrust hanging over them all. Willow did not care when the first spatters of rain began to ping off her armour. It could rust for all she cared.

"Willow?" Tara whispered quietly between kisses.

"Yeah?" Willow was more than a little breathless.

"It's raining."

"I know."


	12. A Mutual Dislike

**Chapter Twelve  
A Mutual Dislike  
**

Willow Rosenberg was afraid.

It was not an emotion that she appreciated but it was real, palpable and unmistakable. The fear flowed unchecked through her veins. Despite her best efforts, she could not shake it off. The source of her fear was obvious – the warlock. His words had left her confused; his wizened, distorted old face haunted her dreams. The walking corpse for whom she had no name had left his mark on her - most probably as he had intended.

Willow stood on the sidewalk outside the Magic Box. It was Sunday night, the appointed time for Tara to perform the spell to bind Willow's magicks. When Tara told her about the spell it had seemed like the appropriate solution to the unexpected power she had found in her possession. She had also tried to convince herself that it was the best way to control it so it could not be used to hurt someone. Willow had told herself that this was the necessary solution. However now she was having doubts.

She shuddered to think what the outcome of her encounter with the strange warlock would have been if not for the magicks. Despite the fact that she did not possess any modicum of control, she at least had a means of fighting back. There was no doubting the potency of the unwanted gift she had somehow been given. Whatever it was that she had wrought to halt the warlock, he had been unable to cast it aside. That knowledge gave her a measure of confidence. It didn't alleviate her fear but it was enough to keep her from fleeing to the far ends of the earth to cower under a bed somewhere.

The more she had thought about that night, the clearer her mind had become. Now the hour had come for the binding spell, she had made her decision. Willow knew Giles wasn't going to like it one little bit.

The dinky little bell above the door chimed happily in greeting when Willow entered the Magic Box. A now familiar smell enveloped her. Herbs, scented candles and other less pleasant odours combined to create the Magic Box's own peculiar scent. It was neither pleasant nor rank, but oddly comforting. As Willow's gaze fell on the smiling young woman behind the counter, she knew exactly why. It was the smell she associated with Tara.

"Hey you," Tara voice was like a jolt to her system.

"Hey…woah!"

Willow's potentially charming reply was cut off as she missed the stair leading down from the raised portion at the front of the store. She managed to avoid crashing to the floor outright, but the resulting scramble was less than graceful. She careened into a table full of merchandise and sent jars wobbling dangerously. One, full of pickled frog's legs, toppled onto its side and began a dangerous roll towards the edge of the table. It plopped soundlessly over the edge just as Willow's hand shot out and caught it. Shakily, she restored the jar to its rightful place on the table.

"Well, I can say one thing for you Willow Rosenberg," Tara moved out from behind the counter. "You certainly know how to make an entrance!"

Willow straightened carefully and put some distance between herself and the table or anything else that she could possibly touch. She stood in the middle of the room and smiled gingerly at Tara. As discreetly as possible, she smoothed her sweaty palms against her jean-clad thighs.

"Not exactly the entrance I was going for…but it got your attention at least," Willow had to swallow quickly as she watched the blonde take a few more steps forward.

Tara was gorgeous, immaculately attired in a flowing skirt and tight blouse which managed to cling to every inch of her magnificent breasts without seeming overly revealing. Her golden hair hung down over her shoulders in soft waves.

When Tara noticed that Willow was blatantly staring at her she ducked her head to conceal the spots of red which were bound to surface on her cheeks. Strands of hair fell forward over her face.

_That simply won't do._ Willow boldly stepped forward and gently lifted the offending strands away from Tara's face.

She tucked the strands behind Tara's ear and revealed the bright red flush that the blonde had been trying to hide. Willow's hand lingered above Tara's ear for a few moments before she suddenly became self-conscious and it dropped quickly back to her side. They found themselves in the awkward situation of not quite knowing how to greet each other after having shared their first kiss.

_Am I allowed to kiss her whenever I see her now? Or is that assuming much too much?_ Willow tried to keep her thought process from appearing on her face and failed miserably.

She earned herself one of Tara's gorgeous smiles, and also the invitation that she had been waiting to hear. "You can kiss me, Willow."

"I can?" Willow's eyes bulged. "Because I certainly wasn't assuming that I was allowed to…I mean, just because we shared one kiss it doesn't mean that I expect to be able to lock lips whenever I see you! But that kiss was really nice and so I would like to be able to kiss you all the time-" Willow managed to cut herself off mid-babble before anything truly humiliating escaped her lips.

Tara moved forward and slipped one slender arm around Willow's waist. "Willow, I said you could kiss me, not talk about kissing me."

Willow was bright enough not require yet another invitation. With absolutely no further hesitation, she claimed Tara's lips. Despite the intensity of the emotion that surged inside of her, she restrained herself to a gentle caress of Tara's lips with her own. Willow deepened the kiss and her lips parted as a soft sigh escaped. Her mind was working overtime as their tongues met, soft flesh tangling in a slow, languid dance.

Tara felt Willow's hands snake up her back, sending shivers down her spine. She couldn't do a thing as Willow drew their bodies tightly together. She needed Willow's strong arms around her otherwise she would have fallen to the floor, her knees no longer capable of supporting her own weight.

Willow and Tara's kiss intensified, both women finally giving in to the passion they felt for each other. Their mouths now met and worked furiously, lips were crushed together in bruising kisses as they tried to satisfy their hunger. Their bodies met and moulded together, moving against each other. They were a perfect fit, every curve joining seamlessly.

With a primal grunt, Willow pressed Tara back against the shop's counter. The blonde's back hit the edge with a jarring force but she did not notice. Willow moved both hands to the underside of Tara's thighs and without warning, lifted her in one swift movement. She deposited Tara roughly on the counter, knocking aside several small displays of candles. Some clattered to the floor about her feet. Her hands inched Tara's skirt upwards over her thighs, feeling the smooth skin beneath her fingers and the palms of her hands as she did so.

Tara groaned and wrapped her legs around Willow's back, drawing her body as close as possible. Willow responded to Tara's obvious urgings by grinding her body against Tara's. The blonde responded by thrusting her hips forward, instinctively needing to feel Willow's flesh against her intensely throbbing centre. Tara couldn't explain it…and nor did she want to. It was as though the intensity of the feelings which had once worked to keep them apart, were now thrusting them together…literally. All the pent up emotion that the two women had felt since that first moment they met was struggling for release. It was a release that had been suppressed for much too long.

Tara knew exactly what she needed. Willow's hands all over here, everywhere, moving inside of her. She had never wanted anything so badly in all her life…and Tara was not a person to usually make demands. Willow's lips finally left hers as she buried her head in the soft flesh of her neck. Tara heard Willow's hoarse pants against her throat and knew at that moment she could have demanded anything she wanted of the redhead.

"Willow!" Tara could not keep her emotions from overwhelming her voice and it came out as a strangled gasp.

"I know," Willow breathed. "I need you Tara, I want…"

_Oh god, I know too, I want to!_ Tara tried to coral her raging thoughts into something resembling coherency. "Willow…please...we need to stop."

Willow withdrew immediately, she stepped back with a concerned look oh her face. She did not withdraw her touch completely, one hand rested lightly on Tara's knee in a reassuring gesture.

"Tara, I'm so sorry…I was moving much too fast and…everything was happening and it was good…and god it was good!" Willow managed to cut off her babbling and finished quietly, "I'm terribly sorry if I hurt you?"

Tara smiled, a warm, bright smile that definitely did not belong to someone who had just been hurt. Willow relaxed visibly, calming down enough to realise that she was still breathing hoarsely.

"Bit out of shape detective?" Tara teased, hypnotised by the rapid rise and fall of Willow's chest.

"No…just…a little excited…to understate things." _A little excited? More like blood pumping at a hundred miles an hour excited! Could this woman be anymore exciting if she tried?_ Willow drew in a deep breath and looked around for a brief second as though she were re-discovering exactly where they were, "And I'm guessing that the counter of the Magic Box probably isn't the best place for this…for us to…ahhh…well, you know!"

"For us to what Willow?" Tara leaned forward and whispered in an all too seductive voice.

Willow squeaked at Tara's closeness, she could feel her breath falling on her face. It took everything she had to stop herself from grabbing Tara and picking up right where they left off a few moments ago.

"Um…Tara, I wasn't assuming anything," Willow whispered lamely. _She's a vixen!_

"It was a simple question that didn't require explanation," Tara's lips curled upwards again, like a child who was about to do something deliciously bad. "For us to fuck?"

It was said so casually, innocently and yet it was enough to make Willow lose her balance and crash backwards to the floor as though she had been shoved by an invisible force. Willow winced as her tailbone hit hard. Then she found herself staring up at Tara who was still sitting on the counter, a lingering air of mischief about her.

"Why do I always end up on the floor when I'm in your presence?" Willow asked in bewilderment.

Tara gracefully hopped to the floor from her perch on the counter. For the second time she found herself helping Willow up off the floor. The redhead continued to stare at her, a mixture of confusion and wonder registering on her features.

"You lose your balance when you're around me," Tara replied, retaining her hold on Willow's hands. "And I'm not speaking literally…although you always take it literally, which you shouldn't…and now I'm starting to babble, just like a certain redhead standing not a metre away from me now."

Willow grinned. "It is an infectious disease…and I can't help it, god, Tara, if you even knew half of how you make me feel!"

"If it's anything close to how you make me feel…then yes, I do Will," Tara ducked her head in thought for a brief moment, when she met Willow's gaze once more her face was earnest. "I want you Willow. I've wanted you since the moment you walked into this store looking for frog's legs. There were just forces that kept us apart. Now we're together it seems like it was meant to be."

Willow raised her eyebrows expectantly. "We're together?"

Tara blushed. "Um…I assumed…which was stupid of me. You haven't even asked me out yet."

"Do people even ask each other out anymore…I mean, I don't really 'go out' with girls per se…I mean, I didn't!" Willow placed emphasis on 'didn't' as if to indicate her wild ways were definitely in the past, she gave a groan of exasperation at her own idiocy. "Look, Tara, I…really like you and I'd like the opportunity to be able to show you that there can be an 'us', despite all the shit that is going down at the moment. I think we could be really great together and-"

Tara put her index finger to Willow's lips. "Willow, shut up. Yes, my answer is yes." Tara placed a tiny kiss on the bridge of Willow's nose, "But I think we should stay away from shop counters for a little while, it's taken us long enough to get to this point so I think we should be a little patient."

"Yes…much, much too much with the fastness!" Willow agreed a little too readily.

Willow felt as though her chest was ready to burst with happiness. She had spent so long playing the field, going from woman to woman and barely even pausing to find out a name. It had been undoubtedly fun, but there was always something lacking. She longed for a closeness that could only come from knowing someone intimately. It took time and patience - neither of which Willow had, but she could learn to make an exception in Tara's case.

Tara watched the thought-processes flit across Willow's face. Much the same process was going on in her own mind. In all too many ways their relationship should never have gone past friendship - if even that. There were so many variables to take into account. Tara did not want to think how Giles would react to their relationship despite the fact that she and Willow had clearly been on a collision course from the day they met.

Then there was Ashley. Tara knew full well that Ashley thought the world of 'Officer Willow' but what was Willow like as a parent? She shook her head to clear the ridiculous thought. She and Willow had barely begun dating so it was hardly the time to be assessing Willow's parenting capabilities.

Tara did not even want to start on everything else.

"Tara?" Willow interrupted her musings, "I have to tell you something…about Wednesday night."

Tara raised her eyebrows, Willow's voice sounded more than a little guilty.

"I didn't lie to you…I just omitted a few details in regards to what actually happened…or rather my role in what happened," Willow swallowed uncomfortably. "Um…their leader, the one I said looked liked a walking corpse, I used my magick to fend him off, not intentionally…it was like the time in the cemetery."

"Willow, I think Giles should be in on this conversation," Tara added quickly.

Willow's face clouded. "I would rather explain it to you first. I don't feel comfortable around him."

"Whatever for, Willow?" Giles emerged from the training room at that precise moment.

Both Willow and Tara could only speculate as to how much he might have heard of their conversation. Even more mortifying to them both was how much of their counter-top antics he had seen. Willow let go Tara's hands and took a step back from the blonde, her mouth working soundlessly to try and formulate an answer to Giles' question.

"Could it be that you have something to hide?" he continued moving towards them until he reached the counter.

He lent back on it, elbow resting atop it with his hand tapping in such a way that made Willow and Tara squirm. He had seen them.

"I don't have anything to hide!" Willow growled angrily. "I didn't tell you because I thought it didn't matter. My powers were going to be bound anyway, whether I used them on Wednesday night or not! Anyway, the short of it is that they saved my life…or at least saved me from something unpleasant. I'm changing my mind. I won't go through with the spell."

"No!" Giles burst out before he could stop himself.

Tara glared at him and then turned back to Willow. The redhead's expression was determined, almost defiant. It was as though she were daring them both to challenge her decision.

"Willow, it's your decision, no one else's." Tara threw Giles a pointed look and continued, "I think we should all sit down and have a talk about this. Maybe over a coffee?"

Willow had been inwardly raging, ready to sock Giles one on the jaw before Tara's swiftly defused the situation with careful words and glances.

Willow regarded Tara with appreciation and more than a little awe._ How can one person be so perfect?_ "I'm sorry, Giles. Coffee sounds great."

Giles just muttered something under his breath.

The conversation that night was tense to say the least. Giles challenged Willow every step of the way even as Tara supported her. Eventually he had to give into Willow's decision, although on the condition that she put more effort into learning to control it in nightly lessons from Tara. Willow couldn't see any problem with that at all.

Giles made detailed notes as she told them every aspect of what had happened on Wednesday night. Willow bravely omitted nothing, not even the villain's cryptic message that had chilled her to the bone.

It was almost 10pm by the time Willow went to leave the Magic Box. As she walked through the darkened store, she knew someone was watching her from the dark shadows in the store. She turned directly to where she suspected the presence was hiding and narrowed her eyes.

"Giles, I know you're there. Do you have something to say to me other than being disappointed that I didn't agree to go along with the whole binding thing?" Willow asked in an impassive voice, she wasn't out to provoke him.

The tall Englishman emerged from behind a bookshelf, stepping into a narrow shaft of light emanating from a streetlamp outside. He was polishing his glasses again, a chore which Willow noted he did when he was upset or dwelling on something. She didn't have the energy to argue with him, all she wanted to do was go home and watch bad TV - and whoop with joy at least once in celebration of the fact that she and Tara were a couple. _Willow and Tara_ - Willow decided that she liked the sound of their names together immensely.

"I don't quite know what to make of you Willow Rosenberg…you're a puzzle to me and I have spent my life solving puzzles. To come across one I cannot solve, well, you could imagine how that makes me feel."

"I'm not a puzzle, Giles," Willow responded bluntly, with more than a hint of anger in her voice. She drew in a deep breath. _Remember you're not here to start a fight_. "Look, I know you don't like me very much-"

"It's not at all that I don't like you Willow…" Giles began awkwardly.

_Okay, not my problem if you want to lie._ Willow's lip tightened briefly before she continued, "Well, at the very least you're worried that I'm going to go supernova with my untrained magicks and kill everyone you love - especially Tara and Ashley."

"I wouldn't have used those words exactly…but yes," Giles said quietly.

_And he scores one point for being honest,_ Willow thought, carefully searching the Watcher's face. She found it impassive and unreadable. She felt tired and her hand searched for the doorknob even as she turned to say one last thing to Giles.

"Giles…I lo-," Willow choked as though the word wouldn't quite emerge, she continued in a quiet voice. "I care for Tara a great deal, Ashley too. I would die before I let anything happen to either of them."

The door opened to a blast of cold air, it sent Willow's red hair swirling about her face as she stepped outside. Colder weather was on its way.

"Well…it may very well come to that Willow," was all Giles said in reply.

The door had already closed behind Willow. His words lost on the wind.

* * *

Willow felt drained as she sat at the round table at the back of the Magic Box. The table's surface still covered with books of all description. She was feeling less like one of the Knights of the Round Table and more like a tired cop who was severely out of her depth. Both she and Buffy continued to be under an incredible amount of pressure at the precinct and each day. Diebel continued threatening to take them off the case and Willow was beginning to think that was the best solution. The very thought of it was making her skin crawl and her ears twitch.

It was late Friday afternoon and everyone was there – the people Willow had come to regard as the 'gang.' Giles was giving her the chills every time he looked at her from where he stood on the bottom step of the stairs leading up to the shop's mezzanine. Willow glared and was content to imagine him slipping off the step and cracking his head against its edge. _Like he really needs to make himself taller! Talk about 'boss of us' complex!_ She was grateful that Tara sat at her side. The blonde was a calming influence with her thigh pressed gently against Willow's jean-clad leg. Each time Tara shifted slightly, the small movement sent a far more pleasant shiver down her spine. She wished fervently that she was able to place her hand on the aforementioned thigh without the others wondering what on earth she was doing with her hand.

Xander and Anya were playfully bickering across the other side of the table. Anya resorted to cuffing Xander over the back of his head when he wouldn't give into her. Buffy and Faith were both perched on the Magic boxes counter, having decided that they were much too cool to sit with the rest of the lemmings at the table. Willow for the life of her could not figure out what was going on there…and she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to. She noted dismally that she had spent very little quality time with Buffy over the past few weeks. Even little Ashley was present, although she was playing at the back of the store, seemingly oblivious to the grown-ups. Tara kept looking up every now and then to check she was safe.

Giles eventually cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"Over the past few days we've done some thorough research," Giles began and Anya coughed loudly to remind him that he had forgotten something. "And yes, thank you very much to Anya and Xander for all their hard work."

Anya beamed, satisfied that her long hours of toil had been at least mentioned even if she was not actually paid for them.

Giles nodded and looked at the list in front of him which contained several vital and precious names. "Tara, could you?"

Tara nodded, she rose from her seat with a grace Willow had become accustomed to but would never tire of. Her head bowed slightly, she whispered words no one else could make out. Her hands rose in an encircling gesture and Willow thought she saw a fine mist rise up and envelope them all.

"It is imperative that unfriendly ears are not able to listen to what I have to share now. We have managed to trace the lines of nearly all of the seals. Firstly, we have traced the line of John Suckling, his descendant Harland Baker was the first to die – one seal down. Then we have the baby, Hugh Appleby who was a descendant of Margaret Cavendish – the second seal to be destroyed. Elizabeth Beaumont-"

Willow looked up sadly, the most recent victim weighed heavily on her mind. If only they had been an hour earlier. She had only seen the young girl after she had made sure Buffy was okay, she had been left lying on the floor in the upstairs room. Her blood stained the Gibson's expensive woollen carpet. Her parents had been out at a society event, a dinner, while a babysitter had been watching their daughter. The sitter, who had later been identified as a student from Sunnydale University, had been killed in the same room. Even in death she held tightly onto a wicked looking sword. She had been Chelsea's Guardian.

"Chelsea Gibson," Willow whispered.

Giles nodded in agreement and continued, "The third seal destroyed."

"Giles," Tara whispered quietly, looking up with a watery mist across her eyes. "Please don't say 'destroyed,' it makes them sound like they are things. They were people."

"I'm sorry Tara, I thought it would be easier - the third seal…killed," Giles swallowed, he moved his finger to the next name on his list. "We come to the seals who have yet to be found. It is imperative that we reach them first. Dorothy Jansen, whom we have traced directly to the Jansens who live in here today, the youngest of their line being a nine year old son - Samuel."

"Nine," Tara whispered, looking to the back of the store where Ashley was sitting on the floor, her head bent in concentration over the Lego bricks she was building up.

"Richard Hobbes tracked to a Matthew Murphy, a student at Sunnydale Junior High…and Francis Massinger's descendant…" Giles looked directly at Buffy who frowned at the attention, "Dawn Summers."

Buffy gasped. "Hang on old timer, you have so got it wrong there!"

"I'm afraid not, your younger sister is the sixth seal."

"Isn't that only six?" Xander was counting the names on his fingers while Buffy was spluttering in the background.

Anya patted his shoulder. "Well spotted honey, you impress us all with your knowledge of Kindergarten math."

Giles continued, despite the muttering which was steadily rising around him, "I have so far been unable to trace the line of the remaining seal, Mary Wroth. There were key records which were kissing from public archives. I will keep looking. However, in the meantime we must find the remaining seals and their Guardians."

"And do what with them?" Anya asked dubiously. "Because I am not hosting them at my house, I've just had the carpets cleaned!"

"We will get them all into hiding," Giles assured them all. "In the meantime, the important thing is to locate and bring them in without whoever is hunting them finding out. This must be done swiftly and with a minimum fuss. Xander and Anya, here is the address for the Solomon's. I want you to go and pick up Samuel."

Giles handed Xander a small piece of paper and Xander nodded resolutely despite his wife's vice-like grip on his arm. Anya was clearly not too thrilled at the prospect of setting out to rescue people who were in mortal danger from men with large knives.

"We can let the precinct know," Willow spoke up quickly. "Should we?"

"Yes," Buffy replied through gritted teeth, obviously still unsettled by the mention of her younger sister's name. "And maybe we can invite Captain Diebel over to the Magic Box for one of our meetings."

Giles cleared his throat. "I would prefer not to put this information out to people we cannot trust, I trust everyone in this room implicitly. I'm afraid the police may have been corrupted."

Willow and Buffy just shrugged, Giles did have a point. All too often they had seen colleagues thrown off the force for their involvement in shady dealings. Some cops just weren't honest or strong enough to not give into the temptation of bribes or drugs. Now that both cops knew what really went on in their city, they were even less surprised. It was part and parcel of working in a city where monsters walked.

"Willow and Tara," Giles handed an address to Tara. "You will go to the Murphy's and retrieve young Matthew. And lastly, Buffy and Faith-"

"I think I know exactly where my sister is,' Buffy muttered darkly. "Mum packed her off to boarding school after she was arrested for stealing. Turns out she is quite the klepto."

Buffy was clearly in a grump, she viewed her little sister as a disappointment and a blot on her otherwise excellent reputation as a detective. The two of them did not get along at all. However, she was conflicted by the fact that Dawn was in mortal danger. She did not wish such a fate even on her pain in the arse sister.

"What I am doing?" Ashley had decided that playing with Lego wasn't half an interesting as listening in on the adult conversation.

Giles put his arm around Ashley and pulled her in close to him. "You my dear one, are staying right here to watch over me."

Ashley snorted. "Giles, you don't need watching over!"

"Of course I don't…but the cookies we're going to make will," Giles replied in a consolatory tone, Ashley beamed and was well pleased with that suggestion. "And everyone else should get moving. I'll expect you all back here within the next two hours."

"And if we're not back, don't send out a search party because we'll probably be dead," Anya groaned exaggeratedly as she watched Xander return from the training room with a particularly nasty looking axe. "Honey, you're not going to show up in front of the little tyke with that now are you?"

"I'll put it in the trunk," Xander assured her.

Tara grabbed a set of keys that were lying on the Magic boxes counter. "Giles, we're taking your car," Giles began to splutter a refusal but was silenced with a glare from Tara, "Faith and Buffy will need Willow's car…there's no way they're picking up anyone on Faith's bike!"

Willow fished in her pocket for her keys and held them out to Buffy. Before the blonde could take them Faith sauntered over and snatched them away with a teasing wink. Willow gaped for a moment before her indignation registered.

"There is no way she's driving my car!" Willow protested as Faith and Buffy walked towards the front door. "She is not driving my car! Buffy! Tara, Giles, someone stop her. I love that car!"

Her cries fell on deaf ears as the door closed behind the two, Tara patted Willow on the shoulder. "Don't worry sweetie…you can drive Giles' car…it's shiny and red and goes pretty fast."

"And is shaped like a penis no doubt," Willow added grumpily, although not loud enough for Giles to hear.

Willow's mood brightened when the fact that Tara had called her 'sweetie' finally registered. Her scowl was replaced by a rather sickening expression that had Anya rolling her eyes. The ex-vengeance demon grabbed her husband's hand and dragged him out of the shop. Tara first stopped to give Ashley a fierce hug before she and Willow followed out the door, a stupid look still attached to Willow's face.

When the door closed behind her mother, Ashley signed. A mission to rescue people sounded like a lot of fun and she hated to be missing out on it. She resolved to not get left behind for anything when she was older.

"When I grow up I'm going to be just like Officer Willow!" Ashley declared, hands planted firmly on her hips, she reasoned that Willow wouldn't stay behind for anything.

Giles had already seated himself at the table and was peering over the Veneficus. He looked up at Ashley for a moment.

"Don't you want to be like your Mom?" he asked.

Ashley wrinkled up her little nose, wondering if it was terribly bad of her to tell the truth in this case, she decided to stick with it. "No, I love Mom but Willow wears cooler clothes and she gets to carry a badge around."

Giles sighed at the ten year olds logic. "Well, we'll see what happens."

"Can we make cookies now?" Ashley asked, coming to rest her chin on the table opposite Giles, a puppy dog look on her face.

"Um…I just want to read a few things first…run off and play for a bit longer," he didn't even look up from his book.

Ashley moved back to her Lego bricks and plonked herself down on the floor, she whispered grumpily to a little plastic pirate. "We are so not going to get make any cookies!"


	13. Gathering the Seals

**Chapter Thirteen **  
**Gathering the Seals**

The silence that hung over the stately brick building was shattered as a black sports car rocketed up the ornate, tree-lined driveway. The gravel crunched beneath its tyres as it ground to a halt at the foot of a rather impressive series of stairs. When the doors swung open the driver stepped out wearing a satisfied smile on her face. Conversely, the passenger stepped out looking rather worried. She immediately did a circuit of the vehicle to check for any sign of damage to its paintwork.

"There's not a scratch on it!" Faith moved around the back of the car to head Buffy off, she patted the large spoiler rather heavily. "Definitely looks like Red's trying to compensate for something though!"

Buffy just rolled her eyes and made a beeline for the stairs. Faith jogged to catch up. The brunette's eyes roamed over the entrance. A sign to the left of the door read _Sunnydale School for Girls_.

"This place is trippin'!" Faith said with all her usual inflection. "And all they could think to call it was 'Sunnydale School for Girls?' Talk about serious lack of imagination!"

"Well, they should call it 'Sunnydale School for Delinquent Girls," Buffy's voice echoed slightly as she moved into the impressively grand foyer. "At any rate it's too far removed from a prison, which is where she should have gone."

Buffy's voiced was heavily barbed, obviously the topic of her little sister rubbed salt into unhealed wounds. Her palm came down heavily on the reception desk, causing the receptionist to glance up with a very annoyed look.

"Can I help you?" the receptionist asked in a prim voice.

"Yes, I'm Buffy Summers, I'm here to pick up my sister, Dawn Summers," Buffy's voice was curt.

Buffy and Faith were forced to wait nearly half an hour in the foyer. The Slayer grew increasingly agitated with each passing moment, first tapping the palms of her hands on her thighs before resorting to full blown pacing up and down the length of the foyer. Buffy watched the deliberate movement of Faith's hips, each undulation carefully calculated to taunt. Even as she tried to focus on something as innocuous as the floor tiles, her mind kept wandering back to those hips swinging. She was watching Faith's latest pass when the brunette looked over her shoulder and flashed a smouldering glance. A hot flush flooded Buffy's face and she renewed her focus on the floor tiles so fiercely her eyes began to ache. The detective was saved further embarrassment by the arrival of a long-legged teenager - complete with sullen expression.

"Buffy, what the hell?"

Faith ceased pacing and Buffy stood, facing down her little sister with a firm stare. The blonde planted her hands on her hips while her sister folded her arms across her chest. Dawn's mousy hair fell in perfect folds about her angelic face - an angelic face ruined by her sulky expression.

"Dawn, I don't want a scene. We're here to pick you up," Buffy said in as neutral tone as she could manage.

Dawn's face brightened considerably. "Hello! Did you honestly think I'd make a scene at you taking me away from this hellhole?"

"Well you do tend to make a scene at the slightest invitation," Buffy began, Faith elbowed her sharply and Buffy tried not to provoke. "But there's no time for that…we have to be going."

"Who's the skank?" Dawn asked eyeing Faith through lidded eyes, she looked her up and down with barely concealed contempt. "Are you serious? Leather pants? Is this 1985 or what?"

Faith met Dawn's gaze without blinking and replied in a deadpan voice. "Name's Faith, and I'm very serious."

Dawn huffed, hardly feeling threatened despite the fact that Faith had her fixed in her unwavering gaze. "Whatever! Shall I go and pack?"

Buffy shook her head, clearly agitated. "There's no time, and we really have to get going."

She grabbed her little sister by her upper arm and began dragging her to the entrance. Clearly upset at something, Dawn yanked out of Buffy's grip with an indignant expression on her face.

"What I am supposed to wear? I need to pack a few things!" she insisted as only a teenager could. "You can't seriously think that I would wear your stuff? Seriously Buffy, it's high time someone told you that you dress like a lesbian."

Buffy looked down at her sensible suit and then up to Faith who just shrugged.

"I'm not in a position to comment. As your sister helpfully pointed out, I wear leather," Faith said dryly.

Buffy groaned deep in her throat and grabbed Dawn by her ear. The teenager shrieked but was forced to follow along with her sister or else risk her ear being ripped from the side of her head. The two made a comical sight as they went to leave the building. Meanwhile, the receptionist stood behind the counter, peering anxiously over it at the fleeing trio.

"Hold on!" she yelled in their wake. "You can't just remove a student from school like that! There are forms to be filled out! Parental approval needed!"

Faith spun around but kept walking backwards as she spoke, "Piss on your forms. Are you going to stop us?"

"Well I never!" the receptionist snorted and sank back into her chair; her bold statement hardly concealed the slight tremor in her voice.

Faith smirked and delivered a parting gesture with her finger before following Buffy and Dawn down the steps. In her wake, the receptionist breathed a sigh of relief.

Once outside, Dawn ceased squealing in pain only when Buffy released her hold on her ear…and that was because there was a trench-coated figure leaning up against the car. Buffy's face had gone a rather ashen white as she stared at the newcomer. His garb was straight out of an eighties rock video, a leather trench coat falling to his ankles over a hideous red shirt and tight leather pants tucked into army surplus boots. Worst of all, his spiky hair had been peroxided within an inch of its life, framing an all too pale face and cold, knowing eyes. Casually, he flicked his spent cigarette to the ground at Buffy's feet. Buffy looked down in horror at the cigarette smouldering below her and then back up to the strangers face, her own face fell even further. He merely smirked at her discomfort.

"It's good to see you again, Buffy," his accent was clearly British.

"Who the hell are you?" Faith marched up to him and jabbed his chest with her forefinger.

"Might be asking you the same question. Why don't you ask Buffy who I am?" He drew himself up to his full, not inconsiderable, height and towered over Faith.

Both looked across to Buffy, whose face was growing redder by the second.

"I made a mistake…once," Buffy growled before rounding on Dawn, the teenager was standing defiantly with her hands on her hips as though daring Buffy to confront her. "What the hell is he doing here?"

"You were involved with...that?" Faith asked Buffy incredulously.

"He's my boyfriend," Dawn replied snappily.

"What the fuck?" Faith was thoroughly confused and she took a step back, out of the path of any potential mudslinging.

Buffy's eyes bulged on their stalks, her mouth worked soundlessly like a fish gasping for air. She crossed the short distance between herself and the peroxided stranger in a single, angry bound. Her fist snapped out with her entire body weight behind it, catching him squarely on the jaw and sending him reeling backwards.

"Ow! You stupid bitch!" he clutched his jaw as he did a little dance of one in pain.

"She's fifteen! It's illegal…not to mention gross!" Buffy snapped, kicking him childishly in the shin.

The Englishman yelped again, creating a rather comic picture as he clutched his jaw and tried to rub his shin at the same time. Not quite finished with her victim, Buffy pushed him to the ground. Already dangerously off-balance, he fell heavily. Once he was down Buffy proceeded to kick him repeatedly in the stomach. Faith just stood and watched, arms crossed and stance relaxed as though she were enjoying the show.

"Buffy!" Dawn tried to restrain her sister in vain by holding her around the waist.

"Oi! She's lying!" the cowering man protested, he finally dragged himself to a kneeling position only to have Buffy kick him again.

"Buffy, I lied!" Dawn finally admitted, throwing down her hands in defeat.

Buffy stopped her assault on the peroxided man only to grab him by the front of his coat and yank him to his feet roughly. She found herself face to face with her ex - uncomfortably close. Feeling all sorts of uncomfortable feelings, Buffy released her hold and he scrambled away from her in fright.

"Little bit! What did you have to do that for?" he snapped at Dawn, "Coulda told her the bleedin' truth!"

Dawn shrugged and replied in a bored voice, "How was I to know she didn't take her medicine today?"

"Well, what are you doing hanging around my sister?" Buffy obviously did not feel any remorse for what she had done to him.

"I'm her bleedin' Guardian!" he insisted. "Supposed to keep her safe I am…although how was I to know that I was the one who would be in need of protecting?"

"You're her Guardian!" Buffy and Faith intoned at precisely the same moment.

"Yeah, why are you surprised? I'm trustworthy…and the little bit and I get along really well," he indicated Dawn with a nod of his head.

Dawn shrugged. "He's got a good point. He's the only one who ever treated me like I was an adult."

Faith stomped her foot angrily. "Isn't anyone going to tell me who the hell this is!"

Buffy groaned and doubled-over, massaging her temples as though she had a terrible headache. When she straightened up she stared the Englishman in the eye, giving him her very best 'don't mess with me' expression.

"Faith, it gives me absolutely no pleasure whatsoever to introduce Spike."

* * *

"One-Six-Seven right?" Willow glanced at the mailbox as she pulled Giles' car up to the curb, she resisted the urge to scrape the rims against the concrete.

Willow glanced up at the nicely appointed suburban home. It looked exactly like the house she had grown up in, a home of the pretentious middle–class. It was homes like these that concealed some of the most dysfunctional families.

Tara double-checked the note for the tenth time as she was well aware of the consequences of collecting the wrong person. "This is the one. You all set?"

Willow nodded and was about to clamber out of the car when she turned to Tara with a funny expression on her face. Tara raised her eyebrows questioningly and in response Willow smiled wickedly.

"We're alone…in a car," Willow looked over her shoulder to check out the back seat. "Backseat is a little cramped…but as this car belongs to a tight arse like Giles, I can understand."

"Willow, you can't be serious," Tara glanced upwards to emphasise the open air above them. "It's a soft-top and the top is down!"

Willow felt a little ashamed of herself, given the situation they were in. "Sorry, I just thought a little levity would help…and that would be a no with the levity."

"Levity? Willow, please be serious," Tara gave her a steady gaze with no trace of mirth on her features. "We're here to save a little boy. For all we know that warlock you saw last week has been here already - or is still here."

Willow froze and looked at the house with a newfound appreciation for their situation. She had absolutely no desire to face down that nightmare again. Her face was apologetic when she turned back to Tara.

"I'm all set," she checked inside her coat and felt the cold metal sitting in its holster. "Shall we go."

They both exited the car and made their way up the well-manicured front path. Before they reached the front door, Tara reached out and gently gripped Willow's hand. Willow halted and turned slightly.

"I'm sorry, Will. Next time we're alone together in a car, you can take me straight to the backseat," she said quietly, a twinkle in her eye despite the serious tone of her voice.

Willow gave Tara's hand a brief squeeze before letting go and continuing to the front door. She noted with relief that there were no signs of forced entry. However, there was a little hesitation in her knock as she wondered whom the door would open to reveal. It swung open a few moments after her knock.

"Yo, can I help you?" a teenage boy answered the door, his face broadened into an awkward grin when he saw the beautiful women on his doorstep.

He was lanky, as though his limbs were growing at a different rate from the rest of his body. His unkempt black hair grew over half his face; his green eyes could barely be seen peering out from beneath it. He wore a bright blue t-shirt over jeans which were sitting half way around his bum, leaving a copious amount of his bright yellow boxer shorts showing. A pair of headphones sat around his neck, the music blaring audibly from them - something very loud and incomprehensible.

"Matthew Murphy?" Willow asked dubiously.

"Matt!" he insisted. "Am I in some sort of trouble? Cos I haven't done anythin'…lately."

Both women shook their heads and Tara replied, "No Matt, you haven't done anything."

His grin widened even larger when he knew they were here for him. "Sweet! What can I do for you ladies? Would you like to come in for a drink?"

He stepped aside to make a path for them into the house, making a sweeping gesture with one arm.

_Little charmer,_ Willow thought with a raised eyebrow. "Um, we'd actually like to speak to a guardian, is someone else at home."

His face fell slightly, although his grin seemed to be a permanent fixture. 'You mean my parents? Cos they ain't here, in New Zealand or somewhere on holiday…or do you mean my _Guardian_?"

His emphasis on the word was slight, but it attracted both women's attention. Obviously he knew something of what he was and possibly even the danger he could be in. Matt's grin never faded however, even as both women nodded again. He ushered them inside quickly as though they were all part of a secret conspiracy…which wasn't far from the truth.

As they were shown into the sitting room, Willow had a good look at her surroundings. Never for a moment did she cease being a detective; she constantly checked exits, danger spots and points of concealment. She also noted that it was exactly like her parents house, right down to the hideously overdone family portrait hanging over the fireplace.

"Take a seat, I'll just go get, Nat," Matt turned and bounded up a set of stairs, leaving the two women to take spots on an overstuffed couch.

Willow studied the portrait. It appeared recent. Two smiling adults stared back at her, a balding but fit looking man in his forties and an attractive but plasticised woman of the same age. Then there was Matt, his hair swept back from his face for the occasion, trademark grin in place. The absence of hair revealed a handsome, young chap. There was one last person in the portrait, a young woman, possibly in her early twenties. Her perfect brown hair fell down around her shoulders. A short skirt revealed a pair of gorgeously lithe, tanned legs. Her warm smile was a more feminine version of Matt's grin.

"Can I help you?"

Willow turned to see the subject of her attention walking down the stairs, every bit as perfect and beautiful as her picture. She had obviously required no touching up whatsoever. Willow felt a momentary surge of disappointment that her legs were clad in a pair of sweat pants. On top she wore a UC Sunnydale t-shirt and her hair was thrown up in a messy ponytail. As Willow stared, she did not notice that Tara was in turn staring at her.

Tara swiftly erased her worried frown and stood, introducing herself in a warm voice, "I'm Tara Maclay, and this is Willow Rosenberg."

Willow bounded forward as well, extending her hand to the brunette. "Detective Willow Rosenberg."

The young woman shook both their hands with a firm grip. "Nat Murphy. Thank goodness someone has finally made contact with us. I knew those murders in the paper had something to do with us! Three children, magical circles."

_Wow, she's straight to the point_, Willow mused, genuinely surprised by the fact that Nat knew exactly what was happening. "Well, don't worry Miss Murphy, we're here to help," Willow reassured her.

"Having the police here makes me feel so much safer," she smiled gratefully.

Matt thudded down the stairs just behind them, stopping a little short of the bottom where he placed on hand on the banister and leapt deftly over it. He grinned as though he was both incredibly talented and irresistible to ladies. His gaze moved over Willow and Tara, scrutinising their appearances and obviously found fault with what he saw.

"You two are cops?" he asked in a sceptical voice.

Tara looked down at her flowing skirt and blouse and then across at Willow who was looking a little miffed. The redhead was wearing her favourite suit, a black pinstripe which was both smartly cut and decidedly 'no-nonsense.' At least one of them looked like she meant business.

"Ah, we're not exactly the police," Tara was quick to dispel any misconceptions, the thought of herself as a police officer almost brought a smile to her lips. "Willow is a detective yes, but our little operation really has nothing to do with the police. Um…W-Willow and I are w-witches."

Nat raised her eyebrows and Mat's jaw dropped. However, the siblings recovered quickly.

Nat nodded once. "Exactly what we need, I contemplated going to the police myself but what could they do?"

"Not a lot unless you count sitting around on their arses eating donuts," Willow grinned. "The closest they get to magic is taking their kids to see Harry Potter."

Tara raised her eyebrows and whispered through her teeth in Willow's direction. "That description sounds a lot like a certain detective not too long ago."

Willow's cheeks coloured to be embarrassed in front of the attractive young woman. Tara narrowed her eyes and felt that Willow was asking for it. The redhead had used her 'charming grin' on Nat, the one she had used to such good effect while wooing Tara.

Nat didn't seem to notice the unspoken interaction between the two witches. "So, where are we-"

Matt interrupted, "What sort of stuff can you guys do? Nat can just do stupid stuff like fireballs, it was cool to start with now it's just boring. So can you change all my grades at school so I'm getting As instead of Cs?"

Willow let out a loud laugh. "You don't need witchcraft for that! Just a really good computer and a highspeed connection-" however, while Matt listened eagerly, both Nat and Tara were giving her exasperated looks, Willow quickly changed tact to avoid their combined wrath. "But no, that's wrong, you should work hard at school…the old fashioned way."

"That's what I keep telling him!" Nat agreed. "Anyway…so we're going with you for protection? Should we pack?"

"Quickly," Willow added, remembering the fatal timing of her last encounter with one of the seals. "I'm not sure how much time we have and we've wasted enough already."

Tara nodded, relieved that Willow had her eyes firmly set on their mission rather than the legs of their hostess.

Nat began dragging Matt up the stairs even as he continued talking, Willow and Tara got the impression that he often needed silencing.

"Can I take my PSP?"

"No."

"My iPad?"

"No!"

"Well, I'm taking both!"

Willow watched them disappear upstairs, wondering for a moment whether she should follow them rather than let them go on their own.

"Should I go upstairs too?" Willow peered up the stairs, straining to see where the pair had gone. "I mean, letting them out of our sight can't be good."

"W-Willow, are w-we exclusive?" Tara asked while Willow's back was turned, her increased stutter betraying how worried she was.

Upon hearing her name Willow spun around to face Tara with a slight frown. "What did you say baby?"

Tara gave a slightly annoyed grunt and repeated her question, "Are we exclusive?"

Willow frowned, wondering where that question had come from. "Tara?"

Tara continued, "Because if you want to be free to date other people then I suggest you find a new girlfriend because I'm a one woman kind of girl."

Willow fully heard all of Tara's words this time around, her eyes bulged out and she hastily spluttered a reply, "Tara…no…I mean, yes! Yes we are exclusive, I'm exclusively yours!"

Tara placed her hands on her hips and gave Willow an 'are you telling the truth?' stare. "I know we're only been going out for two seconds but the way you were looking at Nat, I thought I was going to have to follow you around with a mop to clean up your drool!"

Willow's jaw dropped. "Tara? I wasn't!"

Tara gave her an eye. "You were too, admit it!"

Willow was about to resort to pleading but instead she jammed her hands on her hips and stamped her foot, "Now look here Tara Maclay, I've only got eyes for one hottie around here…and trust me, she's all the hottie I need."

Tara's face softened slightly leaving Willow with no idea where she actually stood, or how mad Tara was with her. The redhead twiddled her thumbs nervously and kept her eyes firmly on Tara. She knew full well that no naughty thoughts about Nat had crossed her mind, save for a few that were very brief and swiftly banished when Nat had first walked down the stairs.

Tara ducked her head, cheeks colouring with embarrassment when she realised how foolish her jealously really was. "Will…"

Willow stepped forward and silenced Tara by taking her into her arms. "No apologies. I know it's a little too early to be making grand statements…but honestly Tara, I feel as though you're the part of me I've been looking for all these years…"

"Ah, so that's how you justify all your w-womanising?" Tara revealed the source of her concern and Willow's eyebrows shot up.

"Tara…you're not going to bring up who I was whenever you feel insecure. I'm not going to make excuses for myself and quite frankly I shouldn't have to," Willow replied honestly as she hugged Tara all the more fiercely to her chest, "I'm doing my best to be a one woman gal too, although I guess some parts of my little brain haven't read the memo yet."

Tara almost laughed at the mental picture of Willow's brain that the statement conjured, hundreds and hundreds of little workers divided into colour-coded teams, all sending each other memos on coloured post-its. Thoughts of cuteness inexplicably became thoughts of desire and Tara could not restrain herself. She moved forward in one swift movement and swept Willow up into a quick but fierce kiss. After a few brief seconds of heaven, Willow found herself deposited back on earth.

There was a loud footfall on the stairs and Willow and Tara spun around to see Matt descending quickly, backpack over his shoulder.

"You guys are lesbians right? Matt asked in an excited voice. "Hot lesbians - excellent!"

"Matt!" Nat was following close behind and cuffed him hard over the back of his head.

"Ouch sis!" Matt reached the bottom and withdrew an iPhone from inside his jacket.

He promptly began typing a message, no doubt telling some of his friends exactly where he was and whom he was with.

"I don't think so," Nat reached over and snatched the phone out of his grasp, she tucked it in a little pocket on the strap of her shoulder bag.

"We'd better move out," Willow said, the longer they hung around, the more likelihood of someone unpleasant showing up.

As the four of them moved out of the house, Tara noticed Nat looking around with reluctant expression on her face. No doubt she was already missing what she was leaving behind.

"Are you going to call your parents?" Tara asked quietly, sensing her worry.

Nat met Tara's gaze. "I already tried, they must have moved on from the hotel they were scheduled to be at, I'll try again later. Tara, are we going to be alright?"

Tara set her lips resolutely. "You'll be as safe as you can possibly be, we've got a good group of people."

Nat locked the door behind them. She then hid the key in a hollow rock in the garden.

"I hope I come back for it,' Nat looked wistfully at the rock for a moment.

The four were silent for a few moments as Willow led the way to Giles's car.

"Dibs on shotgun!" Matt yelled excitedly, breaking the silence and making a beeline for the front passenger seat.

His excitement quickly faded when he realised he was struggling against an unseen force holding him back. It was his older sister, one hand securely holding his backpack, effectively halting his flight.

"Wait a minute, buster!" Nat cautioned. "You're going in the back with me!"

"Oh joy," Matt muttered sarcastically.

He didn't bother to open the door, in an athletic bound he leapt into the back seat of Giles' car. His skate shoes landed squarely on the leather. Nat glared apocalyptically and he slid down into the seat.

Willow waved her hand dismissively as she walked around to the driver's door. "I wouldn't worry, it's not my car…and I don't particularly like the guy it belongs to."

"Willow!" Tara exclaimed in a horrified voice.

Willow looked suitably guilty and peered over her shoulder to address Matt, "But just because you don't like someone, it doesn't mean you don't respect their stuff."

Matt grinned like a co-conspirator.

"Right, where are we going? Some secret bunker that you guys have got hidden in the mountains somewhere?" Nat asked hopefully.

"Errr no," Willow looked across to Tara. "We're going to a magic shop."

* * *

Giles felt the distinct urge to wash his hands whenever he touched the Veneficus. For some reason, the book exuded immense evil. Giles was a logical man and he did not attempt to explain how mere bound paper could have this effect.

He removed his glasses and rubbed his tired eyes. After hours of searching the tome, he had found several useful incantations, dark magicks which of course he would not use…but they were interesting nevertheless. However, there was nothing that he didn't already know concerning the seals and the concealed evil. Giles had reasoned that the book ought to contain something about how to defeat it, a passage that would no doubt be cryptic and mysterious…but something to start with at least.

With an angry snort Giles pushed his chair back, legs scraping on the linoleum. Ashley immediately lifted her head from where she was still playing with her Lego as she had for the past hour. By now she had constructed an impressively intricate fort, her construction however had used all her available materials and her patience was stretched to the limit. Her belly rumbled loudly, reminding her that it had been simply forever since she had eaten. She watched Giles pace for a few moments, observing his clearly agitated state. Being a very smart girl Ashley knew better than to interrupt adults when they were in a bad mood but she overruled her own judgement and stood.

"Giles?" Ashley deliberately spoke loudly so that he could not pretend he did not hear her. "It's almost dinner time."

"Yes, yes," Giles waved his hand absently as he continued pacing. "In a minute. It must be a spell, perhaps a renewal of the binding spell with seven new seals…or replace those that have failed, no, it cannot be that simple."

Ashley hopped up onto Giles' recently vacated seat and propped both arms up on the chair back. She rested her chin on her forearms and stared at Giles as he continued talking to himself. He showed no signs of letting up any time soon. Ashley gave a snort of disgust and swiveled in the chair to face the mountain of books piled high on the table. She brought her small fist crashing down on the book nearest her, venting her frustration on the objects which seemed to be causing all the trouble. In doing so, she knocked one from the table. It landed with a muffled thud on the floor, its binding and pages spreading apart upon impact. Face frozen in horror, Ashley glanced up to Giles who was still pacing. She held her breath for a few moments, confirming that he was indeed so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he did not hear her. With stealthy movements, Ashley slid from the chair and bent down to pick up the book. However, Giles turned just as she jerked to her feet. Ashley clutched the book to her chest and looked down to see a single page fluttering to the ground.

"Oh fuck," Ashley whispered, her eyes meeting Giles's.

Giles eyes widened, but not due to the fallen page. "Ashley Maclay! Where did you learn language like that?"

Ashley cocked her head to one side and looked at Giles as though he were joking. "Giles…have you forgotten I live with Faith?"

Giles groaned. "How could I?"

Ashley retrieved the fallen page. She picked up the paper between her fingers and was surprised to find it felt slimy. However, when she looked at it, the paper wasn't moist in the slightest. A shiver ran down her spine and she quickly held out both book and paper for Giles to take.

"I'm sorry, Giles. I'm not sure where the page fell from," she whispered sheepishly.

Giles glanced down to see the Veneficus in her outstretched hands. Quickly he snatched both the book and page away from her. Ashley regarded him with wide eyes as though she were about to bear the brunt of a furious tirade.

He smiled wearily. "No Ashley, it's okay, let's go."

Giles stopped abruptly when his eyes fell on the single page. Even at a glance he could tell that it had not come loose from the Veneficus. His thumb caressed the thick paper, sliding over words written in a heavy, black ink. The words seemed to tremble as though they had been written in a shaky hand. He looked up to the little girl, who still obviously under the impression that she was about to be scolded.

"Ashley, where did you get this page from?" Giles asked urgently, shaking the page in her direction.

"It was in the book-" Ashley began, pointing to the offending tome in Giles' other hand.

Giles shook his head. "No, it wasn't. Tell me honestly, where did you get this page from? Did you take it from one of the other books?"

She responded with a decidedly firm shake of her head. "No Giles, it was in that book. I knocked it off the table and it fell out."

Giles was satisfied that Ashley was telling the truth, he finally allowed himself to read what was written in its entirety. His eyes were fixed to that single sheet of paper as they followed the shaky scrawl.

"_When the hour is dire and the seals are failing, it is the Guardian of the seventh seal who will be both the last hope of the righteous and the key to their destruction.  
For the Guardian of the seventh seal faces a terrible choice.  
If they are brave and true, they will kill the unnamed power wielding the Contorqueo Gladius.  
If they are corrupt and evil, they will kill that which cannot be killed by any other - the seventh seal."_

The handwriting became almost illegible near the end-

_What a terrible burden to bear_

The note was not signed, just initialed in the bottom right corner, _MW_

Despite the fact that it was exactly what he had been searching for, Giles felt empty and drained. It was a solution that left everything up to the frailty of an individual…and that was a situation that Giles did not like at all. His knees buckled beneath him and he slipped to the floor with a dull thud as Ashley looked on with a worried frown. She approached cautiously and laid her small hand on his shoulder.

"Giles, I'm sorry I said fuck," she apologised and them immediately clamped both hands over her mouth as she realised she'd done it again.

"Good Lord," Giles whispered, not even looking up at Ashley. "We have to find the seventh seal."


	14. A Lake House Retreat

**Chapter Fourteen  
A Lake House Retreat**

"This stuff is so cool!" Matt exclaimed, his eyes roved over the Magic Box and its merchandise, his fingers twitched involuntarily and it was clear he longed to reach out and touch everything. He knelt to examine a jar he found particularly interesting and his smile broadened. "Werewolves bollocks? Excellent! How on earth do you get something like that?"

His hand reached out to wrap itself around the jar. Behind him, Giles was having an apoplectic fit at the sight of Matt's teenage hand reaching out to pick up the merchandise. He knew for a fact that teenage hands were undoubtedly covered in all manner of filth, not to mention the almost certain likelihood that the jar would be dropped. In a single bound he strode across to the table and swooped down upon the jar, whisking it away to safety in his own much more capable, hygienic hands.

"Werewolves bollocks happen to be very expensive and difficult to come by due to the…ahhh…reluctance of the werewolves to part with them." Giles held the jar up so that he could inspect the integrity of its contents.

The audience found Giles' concern for the pickled testicles terribly funny. Willow openly snickered and even Tara had a broad smile on her face. Nat, who didn't even know Giles, guffawed loudly and craned for a better look at the jar. An indignant Giles glared at each of them in turn until his gaze came to rest on Tara, whom he least expected to find his actions funny given that she owned half the store and knew exactly what they were worth.

"I'm sorry Giles," Tara had resorted to giggling, she covered her mouth with her hand and tried to restrain herself. "But if you could only see how silly you are!

The doorbell tinkled its welcoming little chime and everyone looked to the door to see the next team to arrive back with their precious cargo. Buffy strode in first, escorting a pretty but sour-faced teenage girl with a decidedly firm grip on the girl's elbow. Behind her, Faith sauntered in nonchalantly, twirling a set of keys around her index finger, and slammed the door shut behind her with her foot. Willow kept a suspicious eye on the brunette who was looking quite pleased with herself for some reason. As the three of them walked forward to greet the others, Giles quickly replaced the jar he held on the table. He gave Matt a very sharp look which caused the teenager to stuff his hands into his pockets.

"Everyone, this is my sister Dawn," Buffy introduced her sister with little enthusiasm.

Dawn sighed dramatically. "Who are these freaks?"

Even as Buffy was about to cuff Dawn over the back of her head, Tara stepped forward and diffused the sibling tension. She extended her hand to Dawn with a warm smile on her face.

"I'm Tara, along with Mr Giles here, I own this store," she swivelled slightly and inclined her head to Ashley who was standing next to Willow. "This is my daughter Ashley and this is Matt Murphy and his sister Nat."

"Nice to s-see…I mean meet you!" Matt stammered with an awkward wave of his hand, his face was beet red in the presence of the pretty young woman.

Dawn politely managed a tight-lipped smile as Tara finished up her introductions.

"And I think you might know Willow?"

"Yeah, hi Willow," she replied quite civilly, evidently Willow was not on her blacklist.

"Nice to see you again, Dawn," Willow smiled, although she didn't take her eyes of Faith.

Behind the trio of women who had just entered the door opened and a tall man strode in. He let out a loud cough in order to draw attention to himself. Everyone in the room turned to look at him, even Willow who had managed to drag her eyes away from glaring at Faith. He beamed, pleased at being the centre of attention and waited for Buffy to introduce him. Buffy groaned loudly, as though she had managed to forget that he was actually there.

"Spike, Dawn's guardian," she stated it so rapidly that more than a few people were left wondering what she had said.

"Nice of you to shut the door in my face," he drawled in Faith's direction.

Faith shrugged and was unapologetic. "Forgot."

Spike threw up his hands in exasperation and resorted to introducing himself, "Name's Spike in case you didn't catch that babble. Pleased to meet everyone."

There was a murmur of reply from the group. It was subdued however, as they didn't quite know what to make of the peroxided newcomer. Spike smiled and appeared to be at ease in the role of outsider. Once the pleasantries were over, Willow resumed glaring at Faith. The Slayer finally noticed that she was the focus of Willow's attention and immediately realised what it was all about. She tossed the car keys in Willow's direction,

"Not a scratch on it Red. You can check it if you want?" Faith said with a wink.

"I will," Willow muttered. She soon slipped out the front door to go and check on her car.

Faith shrugged and turned to Tara. "Honestly T, if she loves you half as much as she loves that car then you guys are gonna be just fine!"

"Has anyone heard from Xander and Anya yet?" Tara quickly deflected the conversation away from her relationship with Willow. "They should be arriving back any moment now."

Faith smirked. "Probably stopped to have a little quickie along the way!"

"Faith!" Giles snapped angrily, wondering if it was his lot in life to be surrounded by children and adults who acted like children. "Despite their…eccentricities, Xander and Anya are were aware of the nature of their assignment and the urgency of retrieving their seal. I guarantee that they have not stopped for a …quickie, as you so charmingly put it!"

"Whatever, that's your prerogative," Faith shrugged.

Giles threw up his hands in despair and decided that it was time everyone had a cup of tea to diffuse the tension. While he was taking orders for drinks and snacks, Tara took the opportunity to get everyone settled around the round table to begin discussions about how to proceed. While they had retrieved the seals safely, they had not planned any further ahead. Careful planning would ultimately would be one of the things that kept them all alive…that and sheer dumb luck.

Giles and Tara disappeared to the flat upstairs to prepare food for everyone. Ashley followed close behind, thoroughly annoyed at her hunger having been ignored in all the excitement around the arrival of the seals. Meanwhile, Willow strode back into the Magic Box, slamming the door behind her with such a force that the little bell was almost jarred from its hinges. She marched straight up to Faith with a look of pure fury on her face. Halting right in front of Faith, she jabbed the Slayer in the chest with her index finger.

"My car reeks of cigarette smoke!" Willow spluttered. "And the ashtray is full of cigarette butts!"

"It is an ashtray," Faith replied dryly.

"It was stuffed to the brim and overflowing!" Willow continued. "How could you have smoked that many, the drive can't have been more than forty-five minutes!"

Faith shrugged and replied in a sarcastic voice, "Cos it looks cool to drive and smoke at the same time."

Willow held up the keys. "Well, you're not getting these again!"

To make her point she jammed them in her pocket. Angrily she stomped over to where Nat was sitting at the table flicking through books and sat down with her. At least books didn't have an attitude. She glanced up at Spike to find him staring at her with a sardonic grin.

"What are you looking at, Billy Idol?"

"You're a real piece of work aren't you?"

"She's not normally this bad," Buffy spoke up from just beside Spike, highly amused by the whole situation. "She's been all uptight ever since she found out she can do magic tricks like setting vampires on fire without a word…and then she shacked up with Tara who was avoiding her for-like-ever. So basically, she's just a big nutcase at the moment."

Willow looked up from her book to stare at Buffy with a mixture of surprise and horror written on her face. She had been under the impression that, even though the rest of the world was out to get her, she could at least count on Buffy and Tara to back her up. One ally down. She looked around frantically for Tara who was still upstairs preparing food and drink.

A lazy grin rolled across Spike's face. Matt was grinning broadly as well as he had moved to stand next to Spike. Clearly he viewed the older man as a co-conspirator in the long tradition of males of all ages believing that lesbians were mysterious and excellent food for thought.

Matt jabbed Spike in a friendly manner with his elbow and said simply, "Hot lesbians," as though the two words needed no further explanation.

Spike narrowed his eyes and looked down at the teenager with a superior expression on his angular face. Matt glanced up at him and his grin slowly faded when he saw Spike didn't share in his excitement. In fact, the look on the blond man's face was positively hostile. Matt began inching away from him without a further word. He had moved at least a foot away before Spike brought his steel toed boots down in an almighty stomp that reverberated on the wooden floor. The stomp was accompanied by an even more primeval shout in Matt's direction,

"Raaahhhh!" Spike growled gutturally and suddenly.

"Gah!" Matt squeaked and ran back to his sister's side, cowering behind her.

Spike glared in a satisfied manner at the upstart young man. "Bleeding little blighter! Do I look like a friendly chap!"

Just as the situation was about to deteriorate with Spike at odds with Matt and Willow at odds with just about everyone, Giles, Tara and Ashley trooped downstairs carrying plates of sandwiches and cookies. Ashley had her mouth full to the brim, evidentially having already helped herself to one of the cookies on her plate.

The tension diffused, Willow and Nat cleared away Giles' books from the Round Table. Willow reasoned that even though the books belonged to Giles, books were still books and should not be left anywhere near food. The group gathered around and listened intently as Tara pointed out which sandwiches were turkey, and which were egg and so on. Matt helped himself to a stack of peanut butter and jelly ones and settled atop the counter, far away from Spike who was lounging by a stack of merchandise. He had somehow managed to salvage his cell from Nat and was discreetly taking photos of Spike. No doubt to send to his friends so that they too might lay eyes on the monster that was Spike.

Just as everyone was settled with their sandwiches of choice and Ashley had been berated for having nothing but cookies on her plate, the door swung open and two very harassed looking figures practically flew in. All eyes looked up to see Xander and Anya make an impressive entrance. Both looked furtively out the window into the street outside to see if they had been followed.

"Are they out there?" Anya asked her husband in a worried voice.

Xander shook his head. "No, I think we lost them outside the city limits."

He set his rather hefty battle-axe down, leaning it up against the wall as though it might be needed for future service very soon. With a tender touch he reached out and stroked his wife's arm reassuringly. Anya calmed momentarily, realising she was out of danger. However, she quickly turned away from Xander and thundered down the steps, Giles firmly in her sights.

"You!" she pointed her finger in an accusatory manner at the Englishman. "You sent us to go and pick up that kid and we were very nearly flambéed alive! I used to do that to my victims for fun when I was a vengeance demon! You almost got us killed!"

"What's a vengeance demon?" Matt asked with wide eyes.

"Matt, go watch over the kid."

Nat gave her brother a gentle shove in the direction of the back of the store where Ashley was playing with her Lego quite capably and not needing any supervision at all. Obviously vengeance demons were old news to her.

"No way, I'm not five!" Matt huffed.

"Dawn, away you go too," Buffy made a shooing motion with her hand.

"I wouldn't want to listen in on what you morons are discussing anyways, boring!" Dawn gave a petulant huff, slammed down her uneaten sandwich and went to join Ashley. She pushed past Matt on her way.

Matt watched her go with wide eyes, he looked quickly back to his sister. "Um…yeah, I'll go watch over the kid!"

Xander had joined Anya and managed to steer her into Dawn's recently vacated seat. He poured her a steaming cup of black coffee before helping himself to a large stack of turkey sandwiches. Obviously his brush with death had not damaged his healthy appetite. With Anya much too annoyed, the task of recounting their tale fell on him, which he did between great mouthfuls of sandwich.

"The whole thing was over before we even showed up at the address," he managed between bites, pausing as he wolfed down another. "We didn't actually see much before we got out of there as fast as possible…just guys in those robes like Willow and Buffy described…guys with knives. I thought it better that we didn't stick around."

As Xander was polishing off the last of his first sandwich, Giles nodded in agreement. "You did the right thing, there was most likely nothing you could have done."

"Nice of you to say," Anya replied in a snarky tone, glancing up from her coffee. "Xander, stop masticating with your mouth open - it's disgusting."

"Sorry," Xander mumbled guiltily.

The young man was appearing decidedly uncomfortable, no doubt reminiscing on his narrow shave with their foes. While Anya had openly voiced her discomfort, she was also physically manifesting it. Her chair was pushed as close to Xander's as possible, one slender arm wrapped around her husband's bulky upper arm.

"So there's another seal gone," Giles commented as though he were mentally ticking off seals in his mind.

"And another child dead," Tara whispered sadly, thinking of the young boy.

The blonde witch lifted her head and her gaze lingered apprehensively over her daughter's small form at the back of the store. Oblivious to the adult's discussions, Ashley sat between Dawn and Matt with a rather noticeable scowl on her face. The teenage boy had appropriated her beloved Lego as he demonstrated the most effective construction techniques in a vain effort to impress Dawn. It was obvious that Dawn wasn't the slightest bit interested and instead sat punching buttons on her cell phone. Tara would have smirked at the rather comical situation had she not been so worried.

"I hate to hurry everything along but-" Nat spoke up, gripping her coffee mug tightly

Tara managed to drag her gaze away from Ashley. Despite the scowl on her face, her daughter appeared to be quite safe.

Nat continued, "While we're sitting here they could be honing in on our position…and now we've so kindly bundled all the seals up together for them."

"All save one," Willow commented, referencing the as yet unknown seventh seal.

"Well, two of the remaining three at any rate…and I am not about to sit around talking while my brother is in jeopardy."

"I think we'll go to my lake house," Giles decided on the spot. "It's quiet, secluded, and you can see every route in and out…we'll be safe there until I can think of a more permanent solution for the young people."

"There's an awful lot of 'I's in there Giles," Willow muttered darkly, "Planning on letting anyone else have a say?"

"Have you got a better idea Willow?" although it was very much Giles' question to ask, it was Faith who actually spoke the words.

Willow stared definitely at Faith for a moment before allowing her face to relax slightly. If it had been Giles who spoke, she would have felt compelled to ask another pointless, spiteful question simply for the sake of irritating Giles. As it was, if Faith believed it was a good idea for their safety then she would trust the Slayer's judgement. While Faith's judgement was undoubtedly questionable when it came to morals and fashion sense, Willow had no qualms about taking her word when it came to life and death matters.

"I've been to the lake house," Faith continued, now speaking to the group as a whole in an authoritative voice that demanded attention. "I reckon Giles is right. We just need to slip out of town real quiet like and hope like heck that we aren't noticed. If we can get out unseen, I'd give us a good few weeks before they even look like tracking us down."

"Well, glossing over the fact that they managed to find the seals rather quickly, I'm not going to argue about a holiday house," Buffy was thinking of it like a holiday, "Willow and I still have jobs of course though…"

"C'mon Buff, this is case work!" Willow said in her best impression of enthusiasm. "Although you can be the one to tell Diebel."

Buffy scowled but reached inside her jacket for her cell. With a mumbled excuse, she moved into the training room for a spot of privacy. Willow watched her go with a medium of surprise, not expecting Buffy to give in so easily.

"And I guess we'll have to close up the store," Tara admitted reluctantly.

"So we're all in?" Giles looked around to gage the assent on everyone's faces. Most were appearing less than pleased but there was no argument.

"If we all up and leave at once, won't they know something is up?" Xander asked quietly, fearing he would be pounced upon for asking such a stupid question.

"That's a good point, Xander," Giles began.

Faith interrupted Giles with a curt nod, as though she felt she ought to be in charge of matters concerning security. "I agree, but I think we all know that when it comes to these guys there is no option, we can run and we can hide but sooner or later we will have to come face to face with them…otherwise they will continue hunting the Seals until they are all wiped out."

"Like rats in a barrel," Spike muttered darkly from behind them all.

With casual indifference he tapped a cigarette into his fingers and lit it up, paying absolutely no heed whatsoever to the horrified looks on the faces of those around him.

* * *

Before leaving town that evening, Giles quietly slipped away to do some research at his home away from home, the town archives. The archivist greeted him with a familiar smile as he entered. He offered no assistance, as Giles knew the archives like he worked there. He proceeded immediately to the birth records. It was a large, comprehensive archive and as far as he knew it remained intact since the towns founding, making it valuable beyond measure.

Before starting out on his quest, he paused to wipe his glasses. Although he knew exactly what he was looking for, it would no doubt take time, lots of time. It would be tedious, time-consuming trawling through paper. They were trials which historians accepted as their lot in life.

He removed a fresh pair of white gloves from the stock on offer and slipped them on. With a quick glance at the clock on the wall behind him, Giles opened the earliest leather-bound, crumbling volume in which he knew he would find his starting point. His gloved finger gently traced the names, pausing to turn the pages as necessary.

He drew in a breath when he finally found the name he was looking for - _Mary Wroth._ He only hoped he would be able follow her trail all the way to the Seventh Seal.

* * *

Willow hated to even think it, but Giles had been right when he described his lake house as the perfect place for them to hide out…at least for the time being. She fervently hoped that it would be a relatively short time, just being under the same roof as Giles for one night had tested her patience to the limit.

It was late, Willow did not know the exact time but she figured it ought to be around one in the morning. By the time they had arrived at the house, night had already settled. Tara had set magical protections around the house and its surroundings. She weaved her strange wards and alarms, all designed to both give them warning and a small measure of defence. Covering such a large area had taken its toll on the young witch and she had retired much earlier that evening.

The sleeping arrangements were sorted with some minor arguments as to who would take a room and who would be bunking down in the living room. Giles had claimed 'his' room which the women secretly thought was very unchivalrous of him. Anya and Xander were in another of the rooms, although everyone was quite relieved by this as it was apparent they still planned to have sex despite the rather gloomy situation they were in. Tara and Ashley shared the tiny room off the kitchen which contained just a single bed. Willow had seen the momentary twinge of disappointment flick across Tara's face when she knew that Willow would not be sharing a room with her. An arrangement Willow was somewhat relieved about. This early into her relationship with Tara, she felt decidedly uncomfortable expressing her feelings around Ashley. Buffy, Dawn, Nat and Faith were crammed into the bunks in the attic despite Dawn's protest that she would rather sleep outside than in the same room as her sister. Willow presumed she would share with them, but oddly enough, she had no desire to find out just what sort of relationship Faith and Buffy had. The single guys were bunking down in the living room. Matt seemed oddly worried about this until Spike grudgingly told him he meant no harm. Matt took this to mean that Spike wanted to be best buddies and stuck like glue to the older man.

Willow was in no hurry to renew her summer camp experiences of sharing a room with other people. As she was an only child, sharing a room with any number of others was rather difficult. She settled for the balcony and the cool, refreshing air rising from the lake below. The view was one of the most spectacular she could imagine. Although she disliked Giles intensely, the man could definitely choose his vacation spot. It was a view that Willow was only too happy to escape into, away from the others inside.

She paced up and down the length of the balcony for a few minutes, her feet sounded only softly on the wooden deck. Eventually she settled her elbows on the railing and leaned her weight against it. She allowed the night to was over her as she gazed out over the thickly bunched trees which surrounded the lake and the house. Every so often she swore she caught a brief glimpse of Faith through the trees, although the Slayer moved like a shadow herself. She tried not to entertain the thought that it might not be Faith at all…although it was a definite possibility. Every so often a chill would run up her spine and her fingers clenched involuntarily around the wooden railing.

The slightest footstep behind her caused Willow's heart to leap out of her throat. She whirled around to find Tara standing in a pair of cotton pyjamas, her bare feet pale white in the moonlight.

"I-I was on my way to get Ashley a glass of water and I saw you out here. Are you going to get any sleep? You look as though you need it."

"Do I?"

It was then that Willow realised her arm was raised as though she were about to throw something. There was a tiny flicker of light dancing across her fingertips. She felt the heat on her cheek. Terrified, Willow snapped her hand shut and the flames disappeared. She had unconsciously been about to throw a fireball at her girlfriend. The thought of what could have happened made her sick to the stomach.

"Oh god…Tara."

Tara swept forward in one graceful movement. She snatched up Willows hand in her own and brought it up to her chest.

"Don't even start to apologise, Willow," Tara breathed as she gently prised Willow's fiercely clenched fingers apart.

Willow felt a momentary twinge of panic to see the flames flare up almost instantly and she tried to snap her palm shut once more. Tara had one hand tightly around her wrist, and the other holding her fingers in an open position. With a worried gaze, Willow looked up into Tara's eyes…questioning. As she met the twin pools of sapphire blue, she felt oddly reassured even without words. Despite her racing heart, she relaxed and joined Tara in staring at the flames which were now dancing steadily across her palm as well as her fingers.

"Don't be scared of the flames," Tara released her grip on Willow's hand. "You created them, and you're controlling them not the other way around."

"But it's fire…it's…hot," Willow said rather lamely, feeling momentously stupid after the words had left her mouth.

"Yes it is," Tara agreed, as though Willow's words had been incredibly wise. Ever so gently she reached out and scooped the fire from Willow's palm. The fire flickered merrily on, not faltering for an instant as it was transferred to Tara. "And at the same time it isn't.'

Willow's eyes goggled slightly at the sight of the flames now securely in Tara's hand. She may have been seeing things but she imagined them to be burning a little brighter.

"I thought you said it was my fire," Willow whispered quietly, thoroughly entranced by the fire's shadows playing across the angles and surfaces of Tara's face. "But I see it's gone all extra-flamey for you"

Tara's lips curled upwards into a vibrant but subdued smile and she spoke just as quietly as Willow. "You let me have it…oh, not consciously, but…in a way, you gave it to me."

"I 'gave' it to those vampires," images of exploding bodies flashed across Willow's mind and she winced. "Was it because I gave it in anger?"

Tara nodded. "Mostly yes. If you really wanted to, you could do that to me as well…"

Willow looked horrified. "Tara, never in a million years would I ever have reason to…and besides, I wouldn't be able to do that to you would I, I mean, no one would be able to do that to you. You're a witch, you have defences against people setting you on fire…don't you?"

Tara was touched by the genuine concern in Willow's voice and she replied simply, "Yes Willow, I have defences." _But not against you I think_.

Before Willow could ask any further questions, Tara changed the subject and brought them back to their impromptu magic lesson.

"Take it back," she held out her flamey hand to Willow.

The redhead viewed the fire with suspicion as though it would burn her, even though she knew better. Somewhat hesitantly, she retrieved the fire from Tara's hand and it was back burning in her own as though it had never made the transition. She watched and studied it carefully but she could not bridge the gap between the innocent little flames on her palm and the deadly fireballs that she knew full well she could conjure.

Experimentally, Willow let loose with a quick flick of her wrist in the direction of a stately Yucca plant in an ornamental pot. Predictably, the flames leapt from her palm straight at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the Yucca was ablaze.

Tara reacted quickly. "Fluentum!"

Thick, misty water enveloped the fire and almost instantly extinguished it. The Yucca now stood blackened and scarred, beyond saving. Tara glared at Willow who was looking rather sheepish.

"You knew full well that would happen didn't you?" she snapped as though she were talking to Ashley.

"Errr…yes and no," Willow replied, reaching out to touch one of the long, spiky leaves, it disintegrated at her touch. "I thought maybe…"

Tara growled low in her throat and continued in her mother-voice, "You thought maybe it would be cool to set something on fire."

Willow's reply was barely audible but it sounded like a 'yes.'

"Willow, magic is never, even 'cool.' Although some people use it as a tool, it is not. It is a way of life and a part of who you are. Hopefully, in time, you will come to understand that."

"With your help?" Willow asked hopefully.

Tara nodded firmly. "With every bit of help I have to offer and perhaps I can save a few innocent Yuccas along the way."

Willow regarded the once stately plant with a narrow gaze. "They're not really worth saving, they're kinda ugly…but before you go telling me off, I was joking!"

With a playful glare, Tara allowed Willow to enfold her with her arms as way of an apology. Willow responded with an equally playful little smile and buried her face in Tara's chest. Tara giggled as Willow's cold little nose burrowed between the top buttons of her pyjama shirt to find the bare flesh beneath. Willow quickly became impatient when the top button barred further progress. Before Tara could realise what was happened, she had deftly popped it open with one hand. The same hand then parted the shirt from the skin, allowing her unrestricted access to Tara's breasts. She lifted her gaze to Tara's and found the blonde with a look of mock outrage on her face. Nevertheless, she nodded her assent and Willow grinned a little too eagerly in reply. The thought of Tara's breasts was already making her mouth water and she dove in for her prize.

"Hey!" a voice called from the ground below.

Willow hastily withdrew her face from the haven of warmth that was Tara's chest, a mere hairsbreadth from her goal. Then both she and Tara looked down over the balcony to see Faith standing there with her arms folded across her chest. The Slayer looked immensely threatening.

"Are you two trying your very best to draw attention to us?" she asked angrily. "Between setting stuff on fire and ripping your clothes off in public, you're doing a pretty good job."

"We're sorry Faith," Tara replied to the rather pissed off Slayer. "We're off to bed now anyway."

"Yeah right," Faith muttered and disappeared into the darkness once more.

She disappeared just as the thought of throwing something at her entered Willow's head. Faith had completely ruined the moment. She sighed disappointedly when she saw Tara doing up her top button. Obliviously to Willow's disappointment, Tara snickered.

"What's so funny?" Willow asked, failing to see how the situation could be anything but a diaster.

"Faith…telling us not to draw attention to ourselves!" she laughed a little louder this time. "Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!"

Willow joined in Tara's laugh. "I think you'd be hard pressed to find a blacker pot!"

A voice sounded out of the darkness, it was Faith calling in a very pissed off sounding voice, "I can hear you two, you know!"

Tara saw Willow roll her eyes in the most adorable fashion. With the childish gesture, the detective seemed no more than a young girl. Her impish grin lit up her face even in the darkness. Tara instinctively reached out and traced Willow's jawline with a gentle finger.

"Are you coming to bed?" Tara whispered, tickling the underside of Willow's chin.

"Coming to bed?" Willow asked with raised eyebrows. "Tara, you're sleeping in a single bed with your daughter."

"Going to bed then," Tara sighed reluctantly. "You should really get some sleep. You never know what tomorrow is going to bring."

Willow deposited a last kiss below Tara's ear and finally stood back slightly, regarding the beautiful woman that stood before her.

"No," Willow replied finally, turning her face so that she was staring out into the darkness. "I thought I'd sit up and keep watch. You know, with those freaky monks running around."

"Faith will be more than enough to keep watch, sweetie."

Willow ducked her head. "I know, I just wouldn't be able to sleep if I knew something might be out there."

Unless Tara was mistaken, she saw Willow stand up a little straighter and puff out her chest as though she were assuming the role of protector. Her attitude did not even venture into comic, it was natural.

"I for one will sleep easier then," Tara stepped forward and laid a single kiss on Willow's lips. "We've probably still got an audience so that's all you're getting."

"Night Tara. Sleep well."

"You too…well, if you ever get some sleep. Promise you will?"

"Promise."

With one last blown kiss, Tara disappeared indoors and Willow was once again left alone to her musings. She decided that it had been wise of Tara to put a stop to their little spot of fooling around. No doubt Faith would have been out there watching had things gone any further. The thought of the Slayer intruding on what was supposed to be a private moment made her more than a little uneasy. Her loins however were still growling in protest, so much so that Willow thought about a quick dip in the lake. No doubt it would be like ice and completely remove all traces of unsated desire…and it was undeniably more romantic than a cold shower. Willow sighed…Faith was still out there. A cold shower would have to do.

* * *

Tara hummed absently along with the nonsensical children's theme song that came from the small television in the next room. She lifted her head from the toast she was buttering and craned her neck to see both Willow and Ashley sitting cross-legged in front of an energetic cartoon. For a brief moment she was struck by the similarities between the two of them. Both sat with their shoulders slouched, a habit Tara had tried hard to break Ashley out of but to no avail. Every so often, at different times, they would tuck hair behind their ears, shaken loose with laughter. Even their laughs were similar, quiet but just as intense as a loud belly laugh.

Another of Ashley's bad habits was leaving half empty glasses sitting on the carpet and as a result, accidents were frequent. Tara watched as Willow discreetly plucked Ashley's latest beverage from the floor beside her and set it up out of harm's way. A smile spread across Tara's face as she knew it was not Giles' pristine carpet that Willow cared about.

Tara resumed buttering the toast, a slight anxiety creeping into her mood as her thoughts dwelt on both her loved ones. Everyone she cared about stood squarely in danger…especially her daughter. She ladled a healthy portion of strawberry jam onto her toast, smooshing it around half-heartedly. Tara was right to wonder whether she should have found somewhere else for Ashley to go, somewhere safe and away from all of this. It was nothing to do with her little girl, that she was sure of. She lifted the toast to her mouth and absently ripped a chunk off, chewing as though it were tasteless.

_Your mama's sorry, Ash_, Tara thought watching her little girl. _But where on earth would you be safe?_

"Tara," Giles' soft words interrupted her musings, "I was wondering if I might have a word in private?"

Tara paused with a piece of toast sticking out of her mouth and swallowed quickly, placing the uneaten portion back on her plate. Clearly whatever Giles had to tell her could not wait until she had finished breakfast.

She followed Giles onto the balcony, the same one that she and Willow had shared the previous evening. Her gaze travelled to the blackened Yucca and she fervently hoped that Giles would not notice it. However, when she met his gaze, she saw there the seriousness that he reserved for only the gravest of situations. He had her full attention even as he fiddled with his glasses, seemingly distracted.

"Giles, has something happened…have you found something?" Tara asked, knowing Giles as well as she did she suspected it was the latter.

"Um…Tara…it would seem that," Giles paused, mulling over the right choice of words.

Tara only just realised that she was tapping her foot impatiently. She had since realised that whatever he had to say, concerned her in some way and she wished he would just spit it out! Forcing her foot to be still, she instead folded her arms across her chest.

"Tara…" for some reason Giles could not meet her gaze.

Tara wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake it out of him, she forced her voice to stay calm and level. "Giles, just tell me."

Giles lifted his face and she met his cool eyes. Eyes which were strangely veiled and unreadable.

He drew in a deep breath as though fortifying himself. "Tara…it would seem that Ashley is the Seventh Seal."


	15. An Impromptu Swim

**Chapter Fifteen  
An Impromptu Swim**

The blood drained from Tara's face as soon as her mind processed exactly what it was that Giles had just told her.

_Ashley is the Seventh Seal. _

As her world spun around her, she searched Giles's expression for some hint that he might be lying or playing a cruel joke on her. It was merely out of desperation however, as the coherent part of her brain already knew that Giles would not joke about something this serious involving her daughter. At that moment, Giles' face was revealed nothing but concern. Following her realisation and subsequent acceptance, Tara felt as though she might fall. She turned and placed both hands on the balcony railing in front of her. As she gripped the railing with white-knuckled fingers she stared out over the lake. The early morning sun was struggling to shine through a thick layer of clouds. She drew her gaze away from the breathtaking view which for now merely served as a reminder that life was short and unfair. Her head fell forward and her hair slipped forward to conceal her face. It was a few minutes before she spoke from behind the curtain of blonde.

"All the seals so far, and their Guardians, they've all been local people. Giles, my family isn't from around here," Tara tried to reason.

Tara's point was exactly the one Giles expected her to raise. "Are you questioning my research skills?" Giles asked gently. "I've traced Mary Wroth's line of descent, all the way down to your mother, Diana Weaver, who was born here."

"My Mom was born here? That means my grandmother-" Tara lifted her head in surprise. "My Gran always maintained that she was born and raised back home. Said she would die there too…which she did. Giles, she lied to me," Tara struggled with the fact that her loving and all-knowing grandmother had told her such a blatant and glaring lie. "I never pried…never questioned her but I could have found out with next to no effort…and yet for some reason I never felt the need."

"Why would you? You trusted her…no doubt she had a good reason for concealing your family's origins, a reason which is I think you already know," Giles studied her face and nodded slightly as he saw comprehension spread across Tara's face.

"She knew…everything, all of this. She wanted to keep my child and I safe," Tara said in a monotone. "And yet when I ran, I was drawn straight here, straight into the one place on earth that I was in danger."

"You'd be in danger wherever you went, Tara, I hope you realise that. It's not your fault you ended up here."

Giles watched as Tara lifted her head, proud chin emerging from beneath her hair as she lifted her gaze to face him. He read the palpable sadness in her sapphire gaze, but beneath it he sensed a gathering sense of acceptance. It too was made obvious a few moments later when she let out a deep breath and upon closing her lips, set her jaw firmly. Her eyes burned with the fierce, determined love that only a mother could possess. He had absolutely no doubt that she would protect Ashley with every single second of her life. Giles reached out and tapped her cheek lightly with a reassuring hand. This woman never ceased to amaze him with her silent strength. Despite the menacing peril looming over the lives of their small group, and probably the world, Giles felt immeasurably secure in Tara's strength. Not in terms of her magicks, although she was not to be trifled with in that regard, but in terms of the strength which radiated from her core being.

"I know, Giles…but that doesn't mean I have to like it, or accept it."

"There's more," Giles added.

"I'm Ashley's Guardian," Tara responded before Giles could say another word.

Giles nodded reluctantly. "I think we can safely assume that much."

Tara frowned for a moment before she continued, "Wouldn't I know? I mean, I would protect her with my life because I'm her mother but from what we've learnt from the other Guardians, it seems that they received a sort of a calling and were bestowed with their magicks. That's not the case with me because I've always had mine, I was born with power."

"Perhaps you are an exception?" Giles replied, although it was merely wild speculation. "I really don't know Tara, all we know is that Ashley is the Seventh Seal…and until we know otherwise, you are her Guardian."

Tara nodded just once but very firmly. "It doesn't matter anyway, I would still protect her with my life."

As Tara looked on, Giles reached into the pocket of his worn jacket and withdrew something carefully. He held out his hand towards her and Tara looked down to see a small scrap of paper, yellowed with age.

"Actually…it does matter, for I have reason to think that the Guardian of the Seventh Seal has a very important part to play in all of this. It's written here…you're the first to see it, apart from Ashley of course."

Tara took the note in shaking fingers although she was far more concerned about the mention of Ashley's name than its content. "Ashley? Why has Ashley seen this note?"

"Ashley discovered the note in the Veneficus-" Giles began.

Tara's eyes flashed dangerously and she interrupted Giles before he could explain.

"You let Ashley touch that book?" Tara fumed, thinking of her daughter touching such evil.

Giles reached out and laid a soothing hand on her forearm, in her distress she was becoming irrational. He explained the relatively harmless mode of discovery carefully. That Ashley had simply knocked the book to the ground and the note had fallen from its pages, despite the fact no one else had ever spied it despite extensive use of the book. Also that Ashley had merely seen the note and not the actual content. Tara seemed satisfied with this explanation and she turned her attention to reading it herself.

She read through the note soundlessly as Giles looked on. However her lips moved, imperceptibly forming some of the words. Once done, she looked up at Giles with a worried frown on her face for a few moments and then her attention returned to the note as though she thought the words may change with a second reading. Giles waited and watched her face continue to drain of colour. Finished for the second time, she repeated a phrase aloud. They were words that chilled her to the bone.

"Kill the unnamed power wielding the _Contorqueo Gladius_?" each word sounded as though it had been dragged from her throat, once finished, she quickly offered the paper back to Giles as though the very feel of the thing were making her ill.

"Sword of Power," Giles translated the words quietly.

Tara glared at his observation, she knew the Latin and it had already scared her enough without Giles repeating the words aloud. "Giles, it's saying I have to kill something using a fucking sword!"

"It would appear so."

"I can't even use a kitchen knife without carving up my own fingers let alone a sword. Giles, what are we going to do?" Tara felt the weight of the situation they faced falling squarely upon her shoulders. "We're doomed if I'm supposed to kill this thing!"

"Don't write yourself off so quickly, Tara," Giles replied gently, although it was clear those pithy words were the extent of the encouragement that he could give her.

Tara just bit her lip as she met Giles' worried gaze, eventually she decided that standing on the porch slowly sinking under the weight of impending doom was not helping matters at all. She turned to move back inside, determined to at least finish her breakfast,

"I suppose I had better watch _The Lord of the Rings_ a couple more times," she muttered as they moved back into the kitchen.

"Good lord," Giles followed her. "We are doomed."

* * *

As Willow placed her coffee mug on the table and took her chair next to Tara, she felt as though this situation was becoming all too familiar. She was seated around a table with the now usual suspects - Giles, Faith, Buffy and Tara. Although there was something decidedly unfamiliar - an air of dread that could not be disguised. Though Faith and Buffy were trying their best with a rather obvious game of footsies beneath the table. Everyone seated at the table glanced up as Xander and Anya entered the room to take their places at the table, wet hair plastered to their foreheads. Xander immediately sank low down in his chair, a rosy flush to his cheeks.

"Did we interrupt something?" Faith paused her game with Buffy to ask in a playful drawl.

"No," Xander muttered tersely in reply. He tried to hide behind the wet strands of his hair but failed miserably due to the fact that his hair was not long enough.

Anya however sat up, straight-backed and as brazen as ever. "As a matter of fact, we were taking advantage of actually having some hot water to have sex in the shower."

"Anya! The rest of us all have to use that shower as well!" Giles growled.

The blonde merely smiled. "Rude interruptions aside, we managed to have several orgasms!"

Both Willow and Tara felt their cheeks grow hot upon hearing Anya's declaration, although they were not aware of their mutual reaction until they discretely turned to face one another. Given the fact that their relationship had developed at the most inopportune moment, the prospect of sex did not seem to fit, or match with the rest of their respective agendas.

Although as the scarlet of Willow's cheeks deepened when her eyes met Tara's, she knew full well that physical intimacy with Tara was never far from her thoughts, despite the events surrounding them that threatened both their lives.

Tara on the other hand, could not isolate any other thought from the fact that Ashley was in mortal danger and she herself was quite possibly the only one who had the power to save her life…not helped by the fact that she had no idea what kind of power she was supposed to wield. So while wishing no of this had ever happened, she also knew that for this crisis, she would have never met the beautiful young woman sitting beside her. More than a little torn, Tara reached discretely beneath the table and folded Willow's hand in her own. Willow, still meeting Tara's gaze, responded with a firm squeeze. They both then turned their attention to Giles, who had cleared his throat rather loudly and was glaring pointedly at Anya.

"Thank you very much for that piece of highly irrelevant and disturbing information!" Giles reached up to remove his glasses for a thorough cleaning when he paused and remembered that he had not actually seen any of the aforementioned orgasms. "Are we allowed to get down to business now?"

"By all means yes…but where's Nat?" Xander noticed the pretty young woman was absent from their company. "Shouldn't she be in on this, whatever it is?"

Anya turned to glare at Xander and snapped, "You would notice that she was missing wouldn't you?"

"Huh?" Xander lifted his hands as though to prove his innocence, "What did I say?"

"Upstairs!" the tone of Tara's interruption was on the verge of irritation, she was impatient to begin their all too important discussion. She again looked across to Willow, saw the concern on her face and immediately bit her lip in order to regroup and start afresh. "She's volunteered to sit upstairs and watch over the children, Giles will fill her in on our discussion later

"Or you could not fill her in at all," Spike spoke up unexpectedly. "I don't trust that filly."

Once again the Englishman sat apart from the group, perched on the kitchen counter. He was angry that Giles had forbidden him to smoke inside and his facial muscles were twitching involuntarily to give him the appearance of someone with a bad tic. The whole group turned to regard him and he responded with a lazy smile that hardly added credibility to his accusation.

"Yes, well, not all of us trust you," Willow replied through gritted teeth, meeting his gaze with a challenging stare of her own. "Just because she's a beautiful woman who turned down each of your sleazy advances, it doesn't make her untrustworthy."

His grin widened. "Pot calling the kettle black. I've seen you looking too, Red."

"A girl's allowed to look," Tara growled in response, staunchly defending Willow, even though the red in her cheeks indicated that Spike's statement carried an element of truth.

Giles coughed once more. "I would be heartily grateful if you could all put your personal lives on hold and concentrate on the matter at hand…the one that could very well get us all killed in nasty ways."

"Sorry, Giles," both Willow and Tara chorused, Willow retained her fierce grip on Tara's hand especially give the turn of conversation.

"Whatever," Spike drawled. "Hurry up will you, I'm dying to go out for a fag."

"So sorry to detain you," Giles responded, hardly concerned by Spike's nicotine craving. "Well, I might as well cut straight to the chase…we have found the Seventh Seal, who was right under our noses all along and therefore, luckily for us, has so far remained safe."

There was a chorus of exclamations from around the table, everyone bar Tara responded to Giles' statement. The blonde sat with her chin held defiantly high, but unbeknownst to everyone else, her eyes were burning fiercely with unshed tears. Gradually, she fought them back. Tara was all too conscious of the need to remain strong and keep from surrendering to her emotions at all costs.

"The Seventh seal is Ashley - our Ashley," Giles finished.

In contrast to the previous chorus of exclamations, Giles' announcement was greeted with a wall of stony silence. Willow immediately turned to search out Tara's face but this time around the blonde would not meet her gaze.

"And it would seem by default that Tara is the Guardian of the Seventh Seal - a position that would seem to differ from that of the other Guardians," Giles withdrew a handwritten copy of the note from his pocket and proceeded to read it to the group.

Tara sat in silence, barely listening to what Giles was saying as he read the note. She already knew every word of it by heart. Instead she watched Willow's face from the corner of her eye. Gone was any trace of the rather playful red cheeks that had been present earlier, instead, there was a distinct tightening of Willow's facial muscles. Her jaw was set as though she was grinding her teeth and a slight frown furrowed her beautiful brow. Tara longed to lean over and smooth it out. As the last words died from Giles' lips, every pair of eyes in the room turned to regard Tara. She looked at each in turn through her fallen bangs. Spike's expression was one of amusement, as though he found it rather entertaining that someone as blatantly lacking in athleticism had been chosen to be the Seventh Guardian. Everyone else save Willow was looking at Tara with pity written all over their faces, and she was sure each would have taken the burden from her shoulders. Last of all was Willow…and Willow was angry. She still held Tara's hand in her own and although she could not read her thoughts, Tara knew almost exactly what was running through the redhead's mind. Anger that Tara had been chosen, anger at the unfairness of it all…that just when they had found each other something this huge had come along to threaten to tear them apart. Tara fervently wished that Willow would pity her, or even chuckle at her like Spike…anything but get angry.

The group eventually realised they were only serving to make Tara uncomfortable and each person looked away, save Willow. No one spoke because no one could think of anything to say.

"One thing is apparently clear," Giles interrupted the stunned silence that had killed the conversation. "Although this location has served us well, we have lingered here long enough. We're moving out within the next few days, as soon as I can organise transport, money and safe destinations for each group."

"Whaddya mean 'each group'?" Xander asked anxiously. "We're splitting up?"

"It is necessary, while there is strength and security in our numbers, we cannot run the risk of all the seals being caught together in one place…it would be folly," Giles replied to Xander, his voice quite neutral as he spoke to the young man. "As such, I have decided that you and Anya will accompany Nat and Matt, I was hoping Anya would have some ideas regarding a safe place…somewhere from your demon days?"

Anya grunted. "I was more interested in hunting down the people in those so-called 'safe places' than actually hiding in them…but yes, I have a few destinations in mind that could shelter us…but do we have to look after that blonde? I'd rather not have Xander pining over her in my presence! Can't we take Dawn?"

"Dawn will be looked after by Buffy and Willow…as well as Spike of course, hopefully utilising something the police can put in place for us. I'm well aware of the previous disastrous meeting between them and our foes, but there are very few options open to us."

Buffy shrugged. "Willow and I are both in hot water over this whole affair, but we'll see what we can do."

Giles nodded and continued, "Faith, Tara and I will take Ashley to England, where I will use the Watcher's council Library to ascertain the whereabouts of the Sword, once I've done so, Faith and Tara will hunt down the Sword-"

Just as Tara was looking quite crushed, there was a violent scrape of wood against wood, as Willow slid back her chair on the polished wood floorboards and stood to interrupt Giles. She raised a shaking fist at the Watcher as she leant over the table towards him.

"Giles you bastard, you did this on purpose!" Willow spat angrily, her temper flaring. "You want to keep Tara and I apart because you think I'm nothing but a liability, a danger!"

"Willow," Giles replied all too calmly. "That is quite simply not the case, and it's a numbers game. We're divided evenly to each seal and their Guardian. Do you think yourself so powerful that you could take Faith's place and find the Sword of Power?"

Giles' extremely serene tone served only to infuriate Willow further. She perceived it as though he were enjoying her pain and the resulting fact that she would be separated from Tara, most likely by thousands of miles. Not to mention the almost sarcastic manner in which he had questioned her, as though her untrained powers were not worth a damn. Willow lowered her head, staring down at the table in an effort to collect her sizzling emotions and restore some sense of control. However, the resulting effect was quite the opposite. She could sense Tara sitting beside her, sense the blonde's palpable pain and it consequently hurt and angered her.

"I just might be Giles," Willow ground the words out through gritted teeth. "You never know."

Her fists clenched on the table as countless unbidden thoughts flew through her mind,

_I could protect them all. I know I'm that powerful…and I'd die to protect Tara, unlike Mr Nancy boy over there who would run for the hills at the first sign of trouble! I am powerful! I feel it!_

Suddenly, as though Willow had smashed her fists downwards, every book on the table leapt a foot into the air before crashing back down in an unruly mess. Several clattered to the floor and other onto people's laps, papers floated slowly to earth. Once everything had settled, no one made a sound save for Willow's heavy breathing. She had not once actually moved her fists.

"Will…" Tara reached out a shaking hand and laid it hesitantly on Willow's sleeve.

Willow felt Tara's hand tremble, and knew she had frightened her. It hurt her further that someone whom she would never harm, was frightened of her.

"I've fucking had enough of this fucking nonsense," Willow lifted her gaze and directed it squarely at Giles. "And I've had more than enough of you!"

Even someone as stalwart as Giles merely gulped in reply, any response he could have mustered was rendered completely ineffective when faced with the coal black depths of Willow Rosenberg's eyes. A shiver ran down his spine.

The entire room grew ominously darker, even though it was merely the already weak sunlight being obscured by clouds. There was no explaining, however, the unnatural chill that accompanied the darkness. The group sat in the silent cold, all eyes directed towards the standing red head. Their gazes were unanimously confused, as though they no longer recognised the woman they had come to know over the past days or weeks.

Willow blinked and her eyes were restored to their usual hue. She stood still for a few seconds, her face growing progressively whiter before she turned and made a hasty exit from the room. A few seconds later came the sound of the main entrance door opening and closing. All in the room could not help but notice the immediate rise in temperature.

"Whew," Anya let out a low whistle. "Since when did Willow become a nut job?"

"Anya," Faith growled, seeing the devastated expression on Tara's face.

"What?" Anya pleaded innocence. "Everyone's thinking it, I'm just saying it!"

Giles had removed his glasses and was giving them a vigorous cleaning, as though that would wipe away the image of Willow's eyes that had been burnt into his own. When he returned his attention he was noticeably ruffled,

"I think…I think it might be best Faith, if you fetched Willow. I don't think it's safe for anyone to wander outside alone."

Faith nodded, as she rose and moved towards the door she rested her hand lightly on Tara's shoulder for a second. Once the Slayer had left the room, Tara too chose to leave. She made her way towards the stairs with the obvious intention of joining Ashley upstairs in the attic to keep herself from succumbing to tears.

* * *

Faith began walking towards the lake in her search for Willow, she couldn't say why she chose that direction. However, she had gone no more than fifty metres from the house when it became apparent that she had chosen correctly. Willow's location was rather obvious. She moved towards the lake at a sedate pace, keeping her eyes warily on the lone figure standing at the water's edge.

Willow stood commandingly on a protruding rock. Both feet planted firmly, hands arms hanging at her sides with her fists clenched. Her gaze was directly out into the lake, where not ten metres in front of her rose a plume of water that defied gravity. The slender waterspout rose vertically for at least five metres until it folded within itself and tumbled back to the lake's surface, creating the effect of a rod of water.

Faith announced her presence loudly, fearing that Willow would unknowingly blast her into oblivion in her present state.

"Willow?" she called, continuing to move down towards her. "Willow can you hear me?"

There was no reply until she bounded lightly up on the stone to stand beside Willow, she stood a few feet away with her arms lightly folded. She watched the waterspout for a few moments, although she was actually watching Willow from the corner of her eye. The redhead's face was calm and impassive with no trace of the blackness that had obscured her vision earlier. Nor did she offer up any conversation or explanation for many minutes.

"Willow?" Faith asked once more.

"I don't understand what's happening, Faith," Willow replied, her voice quiet but confused. "What I'm doing isn't evil is it…magic I mean?"

"I'm sure creating a fountain isn't evil, Willow," Faith was a little out of her depth, she was used to being a woman of action, not of words.

"I know…it's just water, I mean, I'm not really doing anything except lifting the water up out of the lake," there was now a slight tremor in her voice. "But this isn't a reflection of how I feel. You have no idea how much of a struggle it is to keep it from changing."

"You'll have to enlighten me, Willow. I'm not up to play with the whole world of magic. I'm just a Slayer."

"But you have power," Willow turned to look Faith directly in the eye, the waterspout continued to rise and fall. "Surely you feel the need to unleash the power you hold…let all the safety's off?"

"Not to the point of hurting those I care about. Sure, in the presence of my enemies, I'll give my all to kick their arses…and it feels pretty fucking amazing. But I've been a Slayer for almost ten years, I understand my strengths, weakness and limits. I don't know anything about magicks, but I'm thinking that you don't know a whole lot about what's going on inside your head, about what you're capable of. Am I right?"

"I'm beginning to understand," Willow whispered in reply, turning her attention back towards the water.

Faith did too, and before her eyes she saw a bright light at the heart of the liquid. The light separated and began curling upwards, encircling the water in fine tendrils. It glowed as it began to slowly engulf the liquid. It wasn't until it glowed red that Faith realised it was fire. Within mere seconds, the fire completely consumed the water. What remained was a plume of pure fire rising up from the water, terminating abruptly high above their heads.

"Well I believe you're being self-indulgent," Faith commented brusquely, ignoring the fact that Willow was still obviously angry.

She earned a sharp look and a terse reply from Willow, "What do you mean?"

"This!" Faith indicated the plume of fire with a stab of her finger. "Broadcasting our whereabouts much? If those goons were anywhere near the area they would know we are here. All because little Willow is feeling a bit pissed off that she can't go traipsing across the world with her girlfriend, even though the arrangements Giles has made are clearly the best for everyone!"

With no sound whatsoever, the plume of fire extinguished itself, the water that had previously been at its base continued to boil for a few moments before melding seamlessly into the lake's surface once more.

"I love Tara," Willow growled, as though her temper was one thread away from snapping completely.

Faith was as good as hacking away at that thread with a sharp knife, although the brunette's expression indicated that she didn't care one bit.

"You should start realising how your actions are affecting her then…learn how to control yourself at any cost, and fast - before we all run out of time."

Faith's words wafted over Willow as though they were air. "I'm going to go after him myself."

"Who?" Faith demanded. "That guy that kicked your arse back at Chelsea Gibson's house? Given the arse-kicking, that's not a course of action that I'd recommend…unless you have a burning desire to truly break Tara's heart."

Willow turned to face Faith down. She was marginally taller than the brunette but somehow she felt smaller. Giving Faith a fierce shove with both hands served to make her feel somewhat better. Faith stumbled backwards a step, thrown off guard by the unexpected contact.

"What the fuck, Willow?"

"Don't try to stop me Faith, I might get angry," Willow cautioned in a low, supposedly menacing voice.

"What? Angry like the petulant, childish little tantrum that you're throwing right now?"

Willow growled and threw herself at Faith. The Slayer moved much too fast, she swept Willow up in a powerful grip. She grabbed her by the scruff of her jacket and threw her several metres out into the lake. Faith turned to watch the rather satisfying splash Willow made as she hit the water butt first. A split second later Willow's head burst through to the surface, hair plastered to her face in wet strands. Faith breathed a barely noticeable sigh of relief as part of her had expected Willow to burst forth and flay her alive. Clearly she was still just an angry young woman…albeit a very angry one.

Hampered by her clothing, Willow paddled to shore. Faith hunkered down on the rock and watched her rather comical movements. Clearly swimming was not one of her strengths.

"Are you going to help me out?" Willow reached up to take a hold of the rock.

"Only if you say that you won't even consider the ridiculous notion of going after the pale face guy by yourself and agree to stop tearing Giles to pieces every time he comes up with a plan designed to save all our hides."

Willow glared up at Faith as though she were seriously considering saying no. However, she eventually lifted her arms towards the Slayer. With a seemingly effortless heave, Faith hefted her up out of the water and deposited her in a rather sodden heap on the rock.

Willow coughed before she spoke in a subdued voice, "I'm sorry. I don't know what's come over me recently. I mean, I've always had a bit of a temper but it's always been limited to scolding people who don't fill up the paper in the photocopier at work…or take papers from my desk without asking. This is something else…something uncontrollable."

Faith reached down and helped a shattered Willow to her feet. "Giles and Tara will help you, I'm sure of it."

Willow stood on shaky legs and gazed out over the lake. "They can't help me. We're already out of time. No one can help me."

"Come inside," Faith said as she tugged on Willow's elbow. "The fire's going. We'll get you warmed up."

Willow shrugged away from the grip. "No, I just want to sit out here for a while."

"You'll freeze!" Faith protested.

"I'm not cold," Willow mumbled.

Faith's eyes widened suddenly, whereas a second ago Willow had been soaking wet, she was now bone dry. She backed off a few paces as Willow settled cross-legged on the rock. The redhead said nothing as she continued to move away until there was a good distance between the two. Faith took up a perch on a fallen log and set to watching over the woman as she stared with a lost expression out over the lake. God knew that there would be very little time for reflection up ahead, she would give her this time…although Faith knew as well as Willow that it would not be enough.

Faith lips barely parted to utter a whisper to herself, "We have a major problem."

* * *

The seer glanced upwards, returned from his trance-like state. His insight into the raw, crackling power had given him goosebumps and he still felt the air hum all around him. His eyes searched out and found his Master looking down upon him with an impatient expression on his shock white face. Although he knew his Master as intimately as it was possible to know the twisted and powerful warlock, each time he looked into his wizened features he felt sick.

"Well?" he demanded of his seer in a dry voice.

"Things are moving faster than we expected," the seer replied quickly, eager to please. "The Guardian of the Seventh Seal will not stand a chance. She will fall."

"We're just waiting on their location?"

"Yes, of course." The seer dared not climb to his feet in the presence of his Master, despite the fact that he had been kneeling and his knees ached. "We are waiting for the call my Lord and Master."

Suddenly the pale figure that loomed above him rose up and seemed larger, his mouth opened and teeth bared in a vicious snarl. The seer cringed beneath his glare and grovelled on the floor.

The warlock eventually let loose a low growl and spoke, "How many times have I told you to stop calling me that you worm! There is only one Lord and Master and he still slumbers in his dark prison as he waits for his servants to release him!"

"Sorry, my…my…" the seer stumbled over the use of another honorific title.

The warlock smiled down upon the quivering man and replied simply, "Call me Bob."


	16. The World's Highest Knitting Circle

**Chapter Sixteen**  
**The World's Highest Knitting Circle**

Someone was speaking but Willow ignored the unwanted interruption, letting it wash over her. Instead she concentrated on the lake in front of her, knowing that it was probably Faith urging her indoors. Her eyes closed slowly and she welcomed the darkness as it enveloped her senses. Again the voice, it was small and insistent. Willow frowned angrily, wishing Faith would let her dwell in her own misery.

"Willow?"

A growl erupted from her throat and she opened her eyes with every intention of turning to confront the Slayer for disturbing her peace. However, the scene which met her gaze was not the crystal clear lake, nor was she even outdoors. Instead she was seated cross-legged on the couch in front of the television in the living room of Giles's lake house. She blinked once and the scene did not change. She now realised that the voice had been Ashley. The little girl was sitting on the floor holding something towards Willow in her outstretched hand.

"I'm sorry, I was just wondering if you wanted a pop tart. It's the last strawberry one?"

Willow focused on the plate and saw it did indeed contain a single strawberry pop tart. She looked back up to Ashley's face and saw all too clearly the confusion that had settled there. The breakfast pastry brought her back to her sense and she peeled herself out from the hollow her body had made on the couch. Her limbs protested achingly as though she had been sitting for some time. She joined Ashley on the floor and gently too the offered plate holding the pop tart.

"How about we halve it?" Willow asked, attempting what she hoped was a smile.

Willow's attempted smile must have passed with flying colours as Ashley beamed broadly and nodded enthusiastically in reply. Breaking the pastry in half, Willow handed the larger portion to Ashley and nibbled on the corner of her own. The small bite was flat and tasteless in her mouth but she swallowed it gamely anyway. Ashley, on the other hand, devoured her half with gusto and went as far to thumb up the crumbs on the plate.

As she ate, Willow wondered where everyone else was, no doubt having a meeting somewhere to talk about her and the fact that she had completely lost her marbles. The pop tart was made even more tasteless when she turned to see the curtains leading to the balcony were drawn. Through a crack in the fabric she saw nothing but darkness. Night had fallen while she had not noticed the passing of the day.

"Ash, how long have I been sitting on the couch?" she asked, slowly rising to her feet.

She looked down at the girl and saw her frowning slightly, as though her request had been odd. Willow supposed it was. She jammed the rest of the pop tart in her mouth and chewed unenthusiastically.

"Um, you came in with Faith and she told me to put a DVD on for us both. You said you liked X-Men so we watched the movie. It finished about an hour ago I suppose," Ashley's brow furrowed a little deeper. "I've been watching cartoons ever since - although the reception's pretty lame. You're not going to tell on me are you?"

"Why would I tell on you, Ash?" Willow asked as though on autopilot. Ashley's answer still didn't explain what she had done with half of her day.

"I'm not supposed to watch TV for so long…but no one seemed to be around except you, and I figured you would have told me off if I really wasn't supposed to be watching." She looked expectantly towards Willow, almost as though she were hoping she would receive a scolding.

Willow shook her head to clear it and smiled once more, she responded in the brightest voice she could muster. "As if! Do I look like I could tell anyone off?"

Ashley frowned once again. "Well yes, you do. You're Officer Willow, I should imagine you're very good at telling people off. Aren't you?"

Willow managed a smile, Ashley had her on that one. "Only bad people, Ash and I wouldn't think you were one of the bad people for watching too much TV."

Her response led to Ashley beaming again. Willow slightly doubted her good parenting skills but it cheered her somewhat to make someone smile. However, she realised that Ashley's smile was a little painful to view due to its similarity to Tara's and she was made aware of just how much she was longing to see that smile.

"You don't know where your Mom is do you?" Willow tried to peer into the kitchen but the only person she saw was Anya stirring a couple of coffee cups.

Ashley shook her head a few times to indicate that she didn't. Once her blonde tresses had settled in place once more, she regarded Willow with a curiously adult gaze and asked quietly. "Why is she being so weird?"

"Huh?" Willow was busy trying to spot Tara in any other nook or cranny she could spy from her vantage point on the floor.

"Why is my Mom being weird?" Ashley repeated.

Willow turned back to Ashley and frowned, she had thought of herself as the only weird one in the lake house - apart from Spike and that control freak Rupert Giles. If anyone in the house were not weird, it would be Tara. The blonde had managed to remain as sane as it was possible for anyone under such trying circumstances, especially with the recent revelation regarding Ashley's precarious status and the implications of being her Guardian. Of course, Ashley was acutely sensitive to her mother's worries and would have picked up any change in her manner, no matter how trivial.

Willow was unused to explaining things to children and she pondered whether she should tell Ashley anything at all, especially given that the sum total of her parental experience so far in her life was a big, fat zero. However, faced with Ashley's trusting little face looking up at her, willow felt oddly reassured that someone at least was showing confidence in her.

"Things are kinda a little stressful at the moment Ash, for everyone, but for your mom especially," Willow began carefully.

"Why?" Ashley used the word favoured by all inquisitive children.

"Because she's not just looking at for herself, she's looking out for you too-"

"But!" Ashley tried to interrupt, obviously indignant at the idea of needing to be looked after, even by her own mother.

Ashley quickly bit her lip. Although she was clearly brimming with the need to refute Willow's statement, her mother had schooled her too well to interrupt an adult.

"I know," Willow soothed Ashley with a gentle nod. "But I need you to take care of her. I'm not going to be around all the time, so I need to be sure that I've got someone on the job."

"Where are you going? Can I come with you instead?" Ashley asked hopefully.

Willow shook her head. "We've all got our places that we need to be, and you'll be safest with your Mom. Can I trust you to do a good job looking after her?"

While she still appeared a little angry at the thought of leaving Willow's company, Ashley lifted her fingers to her forehead and saluted smartly. "You can count on me, Officer Willow."

Willow managed a tired but warm smile in response to the girl's enthusiasm. "I know I can, Ash. I'm going to take in some fresh air outside, are you alright? How about you go in the kitchen and ask Anya to fix you something for dinner?"

"But I've just had a pop tart!" Ashley held up the empty plate, although she reflected on this for a few moments before deciding that she was still in fact hungry. "Hmmm, I should really eat something better than a pop tart."

"Okay, scoot missy. I'll come find you later and we'll play a board game or something, okay?"

"Sure!" Ashley beamed, rising to her feet she made her way into the kitchen.

Willow watched for a few moments as Anya smiled indulgently at the girl and disappeared in the direction of the refrigerator. She hoped that Anya would at least find something green for Ashley to eat, although given the disposition of the strange blonde woman, Willow somehow doubted that. She then made her way to the door. Before exiting she glanced down to see she was still wearing her sneakers. Upon opening the door she found it to be slightly colder than she had expected and selected a light jacket from the rack by the door.

She elected to walk in the direction of the lake once again. She was strangely drawn to its comforting depths despite the incident that morning that she would rather have forgotten. There was a small hope nestled at the back of her mind that she might find Tara there. An eternity seemed to have passed since the morning where they had sat holding hands and blushing like schoolgirls.

As her feet made barely a sound on the soft earth, Willow spied a movement off to her right, just behind the house. The figure wasn't moving and instantly Willow suspected that they were being watched. She froze with terror, about to sound an alarm when the shape took a step and moved through a patch of moonlight. Willow immediately relaxed when the light revealed the figure to be none other than Nat, she was talking on her cellphone and had not seen Willow watching her from beside the house. Willow recalled that Giles had told them not to use their mobile phones and she momentarily thought about reminding the young woman. Several words carried within Willow's earshot when Nat raised her voice, she picked up 'Mom' and a rather angry 'stop worrying.'

_Talking to her Mom and Dad,_ Willow reasoned. _They'd be worried sick about her and Matt…still, better off with us than dead on their own._

Not wishing to eavesdrop on the family conversation any longer, Willow moved off in the direction of the lake. As she stuffed her hands in the pockets of the jacket for warmth, she fervently wished she had thought to grab a woollen hat as well. Willow didn't return for one, she had a positive feeling that Tara was out here somewhere and that made the cold completely redundant.

* * *

The pale moonlight fell over the lake like a ghostly blanket. Without even the smallest trace of a breeze, the water's surface served as a calming influence over the young woman gazing out across its depths. Another figure joined her, although she barely glanced at the beautiful scene before her eyes.

"Willow's looking for you," Faith interrupted Tara's musings in a quiet voice.

Tara closed her eyes for a few seconds and then opened once more as though she were blinking in slow motion. Her arms were folded tightly across her chest and Faith watched her fingers drum against her jacket covered arms. The small movement was Tara's only sign of agitation.

"I know," was Tara's reply. "My heart started beating faster a few moments ago."

Faith stared at Tara as though she had sprouted whiskers. "That's just whack, T. You want me to head her off?"

A small smile crossed Tara's face. "No, I don't want you to head her off. You can do something for me though."

Faith bounced on her heels as though she were eager to please. "Name it and it's done."

"Keep watch for us," Tara named her favour.

Even after Tara had voiced it, Faith still had no idea what she was being asked to do. She studied Tara's face and although the smile had faded from her face, there was something else in her eyes. Faith narrowed her eyes, she knew the face of someone who was up to something. Tara turned and saw the confusion on Faith's face, she let out a small sigh in response.

"Faith, I want to be with Willow tonight…alone. When we leave this place, separately, I don't know when we'll see each other again - if ever again."

As comprehension dawned on her, Faith was quick to reply. "T, we're all coming through this!"

Tara wasn't having a bar of Faith's optimism as she shook her head. She glanced over her shoulder, obviously continuing to sense Willow's presence nearby.

"Just…keep watch for us, please."

"I'll be keeping watch over you," Faith emphasised her point. "T, I don't know what's up with Willow…but I'm not sure if you should be alone."

Tara lifted her hand to cut Faith off, "I need to be alone with her, Faith. Will you do it?"

Faith let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders sagging to indicate her reluctance, "Fine! I'll give you an hour, then I want you to back inside with the rest of the smurfs so I can concentrate on my job!"

"Thank you, Faith," Tara started to move away from the lake and back towards the house, she felt Faith's eyes boring into her back as she did.

"I won't look," Faith called with a slight teasing element to her tone.

"I trust you won't," Tara replied, not really caring one way or the other, she just had to be with Willow.

Dark shadows fell over her and she moved beneath the canopy of trees that lay between the lake and the house. On any other night it would have made her uneasy, but not tonight. She stopped walking and heard the soft crunch of footsteps on the forest floor. A twig snapped up ahead. Gradually another figure emerged, just a blur at first and then taking on a more defined shape. Tara knew it was Willow before she could see her pale face or hair pulled back into a ponytail.

The strange thing was that neither woman seemed surprised to meet the other out in the midst of trees and shadows. Willow stopped a few meters from Tara, her hands jammed in her pockets and her face mostly hidden by shadow. They stood in silence for a few moments, as though trying to decide whether the other was real. Eventually Tara moved closer to Willow, so close that she could reach out and take her by the hand. Wordlessly, she plucked Willow's rather frozen extremity from within her jacket pocket and enfolded it in her own.

Willow's eyes opened in surprise when she found Tara's hands to be warm, as though she had been sitting in front of a fire. She then allowed herself to be lead wherever Tara wanted her to be, for some reason she did not feel that words were necessary. They moved away from the lights of the lake house, further up into the forest where previously only Faith had dared to venture at night.

When they were a good distance away from the house, but not so far as to escape good sense, Tara stopped and turned to face Willow. Without a word she stepped forward into Willow's space so that there was absolutely nothing between them. Her proximity almost pushed Willow backwards but before the surprised redhead could build up any momentum to fall, Tara embraced her with a pair of strong determined arms encircling her back.

Willow felt Tara's fingers digging into her flesh through the layers of clothing she wore. Her grip surprised Willow with its ferocity and insistence. It was as though Tara had prepared herself for the probability of Willow trying to pull away from the embrace. A course of action, as Willow reflected, which would have adhered to all tenets of good sense given the state of their relationship, their situation and the world in general. However, as Tara moved the last few inches forward to claim Willow's lips in a kiss equally intense as her embrace, any thoughts regarding good sense were indiscriminately banished to a distant corner of her brain. Her knees went weak at that point and she would have keeled over if not for the strong arms embracing her. She lost herself in the kiss, Tara's breath fusing heatedly with her own and their bodies moving urgently against one another, becoming almost indistinguishable as two separate entities.

Time passed, neither could tell just how much. They were both immune to the cold which flowed around the cocoon of heat they created like water around rock. Without warning, Tara pressed Willow backwards. The redhead seemed not to care, if she even noticed at all. Willow would have fallen to the forest floor if not for a thick tree behind her. Her jacket snagged on the bark and it dug into her back as Tara's weight held her firmly against the tree.

Without breaking the kiss, which had by now deepened into an even more intimate exploration, Tara withdrew both her arms from where they had been sandwiched between Willow's back and the tree. Her fingers went to the band of Willow's upper layers and crept upwards to find smooth, warm skin. They pawed and explored Willow's stomach and hips before Tara once again encircled Willow's body, although this time with the intention of undoing the clasp on her bra. Once achieved, Tara urgently felt out Willows perfectly formed breasts with her right hand, while the left hand held her securely at the hip. Willow broke the kiss just long enough to emit a strangled cry as Tara's fingers found her erect nipple and teased it mercilessly.

Tara wanted more of the redhead. The removal of hand from breast met with an angry growl of protest even as Tara moved to unzip Willow's jacket. With the jacket only just clinging to Willow's shoulders, Tara felt for the bottom of her sweater and dragged it roughly upwards, exposing pale skin. In any other circumstances, the situation would have been awkward as Tara had to fight her way through Willow's clothing before her mouth found Willow's breasts. However, in that moment, the way and manner in which everything happened was absolutely perfect.

Tara hungrily devoured first one breast, and then the other. If she had looked above her, she would have seen the tilt of Willow's chin indicate that her head was thrown back, pressed against the tree. Still lavishing attention on Willow's breasts, Tara's hands went to the buttons of Willow's jeans and tore them apart hastily. With both hands hooked into the waistband, she forced both the jeans and her underwear downwards. Eventually she had to break contact with Willow's breasts in order to continue removing the clothing nuisance. The jeans snagged on Willow's shoes so Tara tugged both shoes and jeans completely off and threw them to one side. If Willow felt the cold on her bare legs, or the pain of the bark scraping against her arse, she said nothing.

Tara stood, her hands moving up Willow's body as she did so before coming to rest on either side of her hips. She searched Willow's eyes, seeking to reassure herself that they both wanted what was about to happen. Willow clearly understood the question and her answer was to grab the back of Tara's neck with one hand and pull her close for another fierce kiss. As their lips locked, Tara kept one hand firmly around Willow's hips while the other moved lingeringly across her thigh and eventually to gently cup her sex. Willow responded to Tara's rather gentle touch with an urgent and insistence thrusting of her hips against the contact, her physical impatience telling Tara she could move faster. A grunt of surprised escaped Tara's lips as she slipped one finger between Willow's folds to find her already soaking wet, although as she felt the rising damp between her own legs she began to understand the acute desire and need Willow felt. They had spent time holding each other at arms length for any number of reasons until both realised that they could not hold back the inevitable any longer. Both had recognised something in the other right from their initial awkward conversation about frogs legs...and it had very little to do with their mutual interest in the green amphibians. Tara moved one hand to kneed Willow's arse, at the feel of the silky flesh move beneath the palm of her hand a thrill enveloped her entire body. Her other hand moved against Willow's wet sex, not paying any particular attention to any one spot until the redhead broke their kiss to clamp down savagely on her ear as her finger brushed ever so lightly against her engorged clit. In response, Tara thrust her entire body against Willow's to shove her back against the tree. Her fingers then raked the tiny organ in rapid pulses, lavishing attention on that one spot. Willow's hips bucked in response, her mound moving against the palm of Willow's hand.

Tara kissed Willow's lips in a bruising movement before burying her face in the redhead's neck, attacking the soft skin she found there. Willow's head was twisted so that her mouth was pressed against Tara's ear. Her laboured breathing blocked out all other sound for the blonde but it was music to her ears to hear Willow's need expressed so primitively, no words, only sounds. The breathing was punctured by small grunts and gasps as Tara moved against her, her hands driving Willow to the point of insanity, a point from which she did not ever want to come down.

Without warning, but with a measure of tenderness, Tara slipped two fingers past Willow's clit and thrust them upwards into her cunt. Willow was of course, wet and more than ready for Tara's entry. She cried out with the new movement and bucked her hips forward to urge Tara as deep within her as possible. Tara followed the first thrust with an increasing number more, firmer than the first as Willow urged her on with the movement of her hips.

As Tara moved within her, Willow's head was thrown back. It ground against the rough bark behind her but she didn't care. Her eyes were open as she stared the few stars showing through the canopy above their heads. It was only when he vision blurred that she realised she was crying and her cheeks were damp with tears even as she felt the release gaining momentum in her gut.

The straining in her gut gradually grew until it encompassed her entire body, right to the tips of her fingers which were now digging into Tara's back, and her toes. She still had her socks on, although they were not doubt ruined as she held her legs in a position which spread them as wide as possible, the soles of her feet planted firmly in the earth. Even as her toes were further buried, Tara heaved her right leg upwards and off the ground. Willow obligingly hooked it behind Tara's back and her left followed. With both legs encircling Tara's waist, she was held up only by Tara's hand beneath her arse and the weight of her body pressing her back against the tree. Her mind was racing, her sense reeling at the new pressures the position offered.

Willow was not capable of realising and appreciating the almost inhuman strength Tara was expending to maintain the position. Despite the cold of the night, sweat beaded on the blonde's forehead and she could feel it gluing her clothes to her body as she strained to the absolute limit of her strength. Although as she grunted in anguish and her heart threatened to burst from her chest she could care about nothing except the woman in her arms and bringing her to release.

She was about to unceremoniously drop Willow due to sheer exhaustion after less than a minute of supporting her weight, when the redhead suddenly arched her back and threatened to pierce Tara's skin through the layers of her clothes. Tara felt her freely flowing juices pooling in the palm of her hand and running down her forearm. Her increasingly urgent cries were deafening in Tara's ears but she did not pause to consider for a second whether they would carry back to the house, instead Tara concentrated everything she had on Willow and moments later she felt the tender and engorged flesh of her sex spasm uncontrollably as she climaxed, more juices continuing to coat Tara's hand and Willow's thighs. Tara thrust her fingers deep for a few last, firm strokes, feeling Willow's cunt contract around her.

As Willow's cries died down, Tara's knees gave way as Willow's exhausted weight pushed her downwards and she was physically unable to support her any longer. Her feet slipped backwards and she sank to her knees, bringing Willow down with her in a decidedly uncoordinated heap of sweaty limbs and pieces of clothing askew all over the place. Willow ended up seated on Tara's lap, her head leaning on Tara's shoulder.

They held each other in trembling arms for a few moments before Tara disengaged herself enough to pull back and lift Willow's chin with gentle fingertips. As Willow gazed into Tara's liquid sapphire eyes, she couldn't recall the blonde ever looking more beautiful. This was despite sweat plastering her hair to her forehead and her mouth slightly parted as she continued to breathe heavily.

Willow's mouth also parted, although when she tried to form words, she found no sound would come about. She mouthed them instead, although small croaks did emit from her throat.

The words she was trying to say were unmistakable, "I love you."

Tara pressed her forehead to Willow's, depositing a kiss on Willow's cheek that seemed positively chaste after their earlier interaction but no less meaningful. Her own voice came out in a breathless gasp,

"It's about time."

Willow choked, half laughing, half-crying into Tara's hair. Neither had any more words to express the intensity of the moment, it was all conveyed through their breathing and their touch. Neither spoke for several minutes until it became apparent that it was not going to get warmer and their limbs were beginning to cramp in the awkward positions, Tara's especially.

"Ah, Will…I can't feel my legs, would it be possible for you to get up?" Willow nodded in reply, although Tara spotted see slight twinkle in her eye and she frowned. "What?"

"You might wanna reclaim your fingers," Willow whispered, glancing downwards where Tara's hand was nestled against her sex with two of her fingers still inside.

Tara grinned. "Or then again I might not."

Willow let out a groan as Tara flexed the fingers, which by now felt as though they were a part of her. Even as pleasurable sensations began to shaft along her limbs once again, they had to complete with the goosebumps and other sensations prickling at her skin. She was especially uncomfortably aware of her arse, which felt as though it had been scraped raw against the bark of the tree.

"As much as I could do this all night-" she began.

"It's fucking freezing?" Tara finished.

"Yeah, that and I think you left half my skin on the tree," Willow groaned as she shifted slightly.

Tara gently extracted her fingers and flopped backwards from Willow's lap, which was about the only movement that she could manage. Once released from Tara's weight, Willow awkwardly stood, picking up her jeans as she did.

Tara saw her wince as she straightened and caught sight of a rather nasty graze on her arse which has obviously been sustained at some point during their frantic coupling.

Willow noticed Tara looking and she smiled. "I may be a mess, but it was a good cause."

"Am I just a good cause to you, Willow Rosenberg?" Tara asked with a wink, although there was a barely hidden undercurrent to the question.

Willow was in the act of tugging on her jeans and underwear when she glanced up at Tara and met her gaze squarely. She continued to hold it until she was fully dressed at which point she offered both her hands out to help Tara to her feet. With dwindling strength reserves, she drew Tara up and close to her body. Tenderly she reached out and stroked Tara's cheek, staring into her eyes as though all the answers were held within their depths. Willow's own eyes betrayed the extent of her love for Tara.

"I'm scared, Willow," Tara said quietly. "I don't want to be separated from you."

Willow breathed in deeply, not liking what she had to say in response. "That's the last thing I want. Oh god, Tara, I want nothing more than to be able to make love to you all night long, to actually see you naked - a sight which I have no trouble imagining to be fucking fantastic but I think Giles is right on this one."

Tara frowned. "You're the last person I would have expected to agree with Giles."

Willow nodded emphatically. "Due to the fact that he is a gutless retard…but I think you need to go to London. You and Ashley will both be as safe as you can possibly be with both the Council and Faith to protect you. I should stay with Buffy, it's my place."

"Your place is with me Willow. If you actually meant what you said after we made love," Tara's brow furrowed yet again. "Although, you didn't actually manage to say it."

Willow smiled tenderly. "What? That I love you? With everything I could possibly have to give and more? Despite the fact that I'm a moronic cop who started out making fun of you and now has powers she doesn't know how to control? I meant it…but I'm still sending you to London with Giles."

"You're sending me? I think Giles is under the impression that he's the one doing the sending," Tara replied, thoroughly enjoying the possessive implications in Willow's words.

Willow shook her head. "Not anymore, not where you or Ashley are concerned. He's sending you there because I'm letting him, because you're mine to send."

Tara glowed hot with pleasure and warmth at the loving tone behind Willow's forceful words and she moved in for another kiss.

Their lips caressed together lovingly for a few moments before there was a rude wolf-whistle from the forest. Tara immediately sprang back but her face betrayed her to Willow as being angry rather than scared, as though she knew exactly who it was. Before Willow could ask a question, Faith stepped from the shadows. The Slayer moved like a shadow herself, especially dressed from head to toe in the dark clothes she favoured. Willow's jaw dropped as she wondered just how long the other woman had been in the general area. She turned to Tara whose expression had changed from anger to acceptance.

"I hope you were looking after us too closely," Tara scolded the brunette who had a rather sly smirk fixed to her face.

"No way, T" Faith continued to smile, "But I think you two had better be heading back inside the fort…I'm getting all antsy about the two of you being out here, not to mention worried for the mental health of the wildlife."

Willow's jaw dropped further and her eyes bulged as she understood exactly what the other two women were discussing.

"Faith…was watching us?" she spluttered with more than a hint of disgust in her voice.

"Hey, I'm not a pervert, I got plenty of my own action going on!" Faith protested. "T asked me to keep watch for the two of you to do you little thing…and that's what I did, but now I'd really like it if you were to get back inside so I can stop worrying about you."

Tara nodded, "We're on our way, Faith."

Tara took Willow's hand in her own for the walk back to the lake house. Willow smiled, her horror forgotten until Faith leant over and whispered in her ear as she passed close,

"Nice tits, Red."

* * *

The landscape lay stretched out as though it were ancient and timeless, a view into a familiar but alien world that could have existed somewhere else entirely. A range of snow-capped mountains lay beneath long white clouds. One individual mountain stood apart, proud and majestic whereas the others were merely there.

The wind whipped up the side of the particular mountain, buffeting the lone, redheaded figure that clung to a ledge like a limpet to a rock. Willow forced fingers numb with cold to grasp a protruding wedge of rock. The reality of this became clear a few moments later as she realised both her hands and feet were bare in the snow. She marvelled that she could still feel them at all, not to mention the rest of her body, clad as it was in her red Snoopy pyjamas. She viewed this as a good sign, hoping that it indicated all of this snow and rock was merely a dream and she was actually safely tucked up in her bunk in Giles's lake house. She remembered that just hours earlier she had Tara had sex in the forest. She smiled as she recalled her legs wrapped around Tara's waist while she fucked her, straining to hold her weight. She was still grinning when moments later she slipped on a patch of ice and went sliding towards the edge of the ledge on which she stood.

Willow scrambled to grab a hold of anything at all but merely succeeded in scraping her hand on a sharp protrusion of rock. She yelped rather pathetically as she flopped over the edge and was about to follow it up with a blood curdling scream when she landed on her stomach in an explosion of soft snow.

Her mouth full of snow, Willow looked up to find herself surrounded by six rather old women. Even after she managed to paw at the snow until she had dragged herself into something of a sitting position, they were still there. Two stood a little closer than the others, a tiny, frail woman with an elegant knot of hair atop her head and a taller, robust woman with a small smile on her face, as though she were seeing a granddaughter for the first time.

"Hello, Willow, I'm Agatha," the frail one spoke, her voice was as tremulous as her appearance. "And this is my good friend Libby - Elizabeth Goldstein."

Willow frowned as the woman named Agatha continued to talk, she recognised that name from somewhere but she couldn't quite place it. It had just been a brief mention by someone. She blinked and forced herself to listen once more, already she had missed the names of two of the members and just caught a smiling black woman introduced as Rose. Agatha was about to introduce the last, a tall, angular woman with a pinched face when Willow was instantly reminded of her seventh grade science teacher. A woman she swore hated her guts until her retirement confession that Willow was the most gifted student she ever had the pleasure of teaching.

"Miss Schmidt?" Willow asked disbelievingly. "Is that you?"

The woman nodded severely, although there was a hint of a smile playing at the corner of her lips. "At least some of me anyway. It would be nice to see you under different circumstances, Willow."

"I know, I'm fucking freezing," Willow muttered angrily, finally dragging herself upright and standing rather awkwardly knee-deep in snow. "And what the hell is a knitting circle doing half-way up a mountain. What the hell am I doing half way up a mountain? Even for a dream this is pretty fucked up."

The ladies exchanged disapproving glances and Willow wondered if it was her bad language or the cold, which by now was beginning to seep through her pyjamas.

"You're technically not dreaming," Miss Schmidt refuted Willow's assumption.

"Gerda's right," Libby Goldstein nodded in agreement. "Although of course you're not all here either - otherwise you'd be colder than you are now."

"Nice to know," Willow felt her teeth begin to chatter. "Where's here?"

"Where you need to go," Agatha replied cryptically.

"That doesn't answer my question," Willow replied, she felt her pyjama bottoms beginning to grow damp. "Where is this place and why do I need to come here?"

"We're sorry we didn't survive long enough to tell you all of this. The other Guardians were much better prepared than you," Agatha changed tact, continuing not to answer Willow's questions. "Even though you need to be prepared the most our failure may lead you and your friends to your deaths, not to mention chaos for the rest of the world."

Willow struggled to digest this latest block of information from the cryptic old woman. It contained a great deal of surprises, the least of which being that she was on track to wind up quite dead. Gradually her mind fumbled for the linkages and tied everything into a somewhat coherent picture of the way things stood from her perspective. She eyed the old ladies shrewdly.

"I'm the Guardian of the Seventh Seal - Ashley Maclay…and you were, or are, a…whatchamacallit, a group of witches, a coven designed to instruct me, teach me how to use my magicks…but something went wrong and you were unable to even meet me let alone start instructing me," Willow paused and looked to her ex-teacher. "Except for Miss Schmidt of course who I must have known before I became Guardian when Ashley was born. You've all been watching me for a long time haven't you?"

"I told you she's brilliant," Gerda nodded rather satisfactorily. "Pity that all she became was a cop."

"Hey!" Rose growled. "My husband was a cop, nothing wrong in that at all!"

Agatha raised her hands to silence everyone. "We don't have time for this ladies, and we failed Willow once already."

"You all died," Willow continued in a soft voice, each of the women nodded solemnly as her gaze travelled from face to face. "That night…the monster in my room, it killed all of you."

"Dirty big bugger it was too," Rose snapped angrily, as though she were annoyed with herself for failing to defeat it.

Willow turned to look at robust Libby Goldstein, suddenly remembering the batty old lady she and Buffy had met with an aphid problem.

"And you, Mrs Gibbs spoke of you."

Libby nodded. "An old dear friend…if a little obsessed with cats."

Willow looked around her and saw behind the women was a cave etched out of the rock face, icicles almost obscured its entrance completely. Beyond the entrance it was pitch black, black as death. She could hear the wind howling like a scream.

"The sword," Willow deduced in a whisper. "The sword is in there?"

All six of the women nodded in response, their eyes lighting up with pride at the young woman who stood barefoot in the snow wearing only her Snoopy pyjamas. Willow immediately started for the entrance to the cave, ploughing awkwardly through the snow to reach the entrance. Once there, she stepped inside, her feet sinking into the icy mud that pooled at her feet. She turned back to face the coven.

"It would really help if I knew where this is. Is it a real place?"

"If you mean is it on earth, the answer is yes," Agatha replied. "Travel to the highest mountain at the edge of the world, in a land almost unknown when the dark power was originally sealed and yet not unreachable. Once there, you'll know your way."

Willow blinked, thoroughly unimpressed. "And that bit of nonsense is supposed to help me how? Can't you just tell me where the bloody thing is?"

As soon as Willow finished speaking there was an awful howling that swept up from the depths of the tunnel and chilled her to the bone. Carried on the breeze were the promises of a thousand evils, more than enough to encourage Willow to back away from the entrance with her terror plainly written on her face.

"Be careful Willow," Agatha spoke again, her voice sounded as though it were fading.

When Willow turned and looked over her shoulder, all six women were gone as though they had never been there. Willow was left on her own standing in front of the entrance to what seemed like hell itself - if hell were surrounded by ice and snow. She was terrified. Closing her eyes she fervently wished herself to be back in her bunk listening to Buffy snore. The howls grew louder and she found herself saying her prayer aloud with increasing intensity, until the words were a mere blur on her lips.

Suddenly something smashed into her face and she yelped in fright.

"Willow, shut the fuck up!"

Willow's eyes opened to find Buffy's head hanging down from the bunk above her, her eyes glaring at her in the lamplight. There was no sympathy there.

"I've been trying to get to sleep but it's impossible with you thrashing away down there! Then you start moaning about wanting to go home…seriously Willow, how old are you?" Buffy growled. "I'm turning the light out and then I want absolute silence…okay?"

Willow nodded, dumbfounded, although she knew how jealously Buffy regarded her sleep. The lamp above Buffy's head winked out and the room was left in darkness save for a little moonlight drifting through the curtain. Willow was about to snuggle back into her sleeping bag as she was freezing cold, when she realised her right hand was smarting painfully. She brushed it with the thumb of her left and it stung as though it were grazed. Willow remembered trying to grab a rock as she slid in her dream. She remembered what Agatha had said to her,

'_You're not all here'_…but a part of me was…

Willow knew she should tell everyone what she had discovered, but somehow she doubted her ability to explain it coherently in her present state. She should at least have told Tara - that much she could have managed, except that a part of her was reluctant to tell Tara that her little girl's life was in her rather unreliable and unstable hands.

"Heaven help us all," Willow whispered in the darkness.

She half expected Buffy to tell her to shut up once more but all she received in reply was a rip-roaring snore than should have originated from a three hundred pound wrestler instead of the slight blonde cop that slept above her. She decided that she would tell them first thing in the morning.


	17. Pieces of Silver

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN **  
**Pieces of Silver**

Willow clutched the stair rail in the darkness as she descended the stairs down from the attic. Predictably, she had been unable to return to sleep following her disturbing dream and heading downstairs seemed to be the best course of action in her wired state. She wandered through the kitchen and bypassed the refrigerator as the mere thought of a snack of any kind made her nauseous. It was with no surprise that she found herself standing in front of the door to the little room Tara and Ashley shared. The door was closed and she raised her hand to rap lightly on it with her knuckles. Just as her hand was about to fall she stopped and moved away. While she desperately needed Tara, she couldn't bear the thought of waking her from desperately needed sleep.

Although I do have a good reason I suppose, Willow mused, not being able to dwell on any other thought than her dream revelation that she was Ashley's guardian.

Despite her good reason, Willow slumped into one of the sofas in the living room. Spike and Mat were supposed to be sleeping on the sofas but they were nowhere in sight. Two sleeping bags lay on the floor, still rolled in their stuff sacks. Willow lent forward, placing her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. Even in the relative silence, broken only by the ticking of a hideously untasteful cuckoo clock, Willow could not bring her thoughts to bear. Each tick of the clock thumped painfully in her brain.

Willow did not need the clock to remind her that what she needed the most was time…and there was none to be had. Everything was coming to a pass now, and the shit would really hit the fan in the morning when she announced her revelation to the group. She could just see the look of complete horror on Giles' face.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a voice interrupted from the direction of the kitchen.

Of course Willow did not need to look up to know that it was Tara. There was only one voice that could have possibly soothed her frazzled nerves.

"You don't want to pay for my thoughts," Willow replied, staring out the window and over the lake beyond. "In fact, I probably couldn't pay you to hear them. I'm sorry I woke you."

Tara crossed the space between them and took a spot on the sofa. Willow noticed the carefully chosen distance at which she sat, just within arms reach. To any outsider they would appear as two friends rather than lovers.

"You didn't really wake me…although, I guess you did," Tara replied cryptically but warmly. "I must have sensed you outside the door in my sleep, you didn't make a sound."

Willow almost managed a smile. "I didn't realise I had that sort of effect on women."

"Just this one I think." Tara did smile - a small lopsided one that succeeded in bringing some warmth to Willow's lips.

The warmth faded all too quickly, replaced by a drawn out sigh which Willow did not even realise she was releasing until she turned her head and met Tara's worried gaze.

"Sorry-" Willow began.

Tara cut her off by pressing a firm finger against her lips, withdrawing only when it was clear that Willow would not restart her apology. "This isn't a time for apologies, Will. It's time for being open, honest and upfront with whatever it is that is weighing you down so badly it's practically burying you!"

Willow was not surprised that Tara was not wasting time in getting to the root of what had her so fucked up, yet another example of them all running out of time. While she desperately wanted to lie, another part of her knew that was not an option when it concerned Tara. Even as she was opening her mouth to speak, Tara laid her head in her lap. Willow found herself looking down into the deep blue eyes of her lover and speech came easily.

"I had a dream…and not in a Martin Luther King Jnr way," Willow began. "I had the kind of dream that wasn't really a dream at all. I was there, in that place."

To back up her words, she held up her right hand to show the graze on her palm.

"Willow, you could have easily been grazed earlier tonight during our…" Tara paused and blushed noticeably, not quite sure what to call what had been an incredibly passionate and intense bout of sex.

"Fucking," Willow finished impatiently, although her tone was insistent rather than curt. "It wasn't there when I went to bed, Tara. It was there when I woke after my dream - I mean the dream that wasn't really a dream."

"I believe you," Tara replied simply. Her cheeks had flushed a rather scarlet shade of red at Willow's blunt choice of words.

"And...I found out that I am Ashley's Guardian," Willow added quietly but directly.

Willow searched Tara's face for the first hint of a reaction she knew was coming. She felt herself under intense scrutiny for a few moments as Tara simply stared in shock. Her face however, did not descend into horror, as possibly Willow had been expecting. Instead her eyes closed for a few moments as though she were processing what she had just heard. Willow watched closely, wishing she could take back those few words even though it would not have made them any less true. When Tara's eyes opened once more, they were shining bright with unspoken love.

"It doesn't make any difference," Tara whispered, staring up at Willow from where she lay with her head cradled in her lap and at the sight of Willow's frown she explained further. "I know you would have protected Ash with your life whether you were her Guardian or not, and I won't protect her any less fiercely because I am not her Guardian. So, it doesn't make any difference."

Willow nodded, Tara's words were the truth, but she continued with the one little detail that she had neglected to mention. "There's just the little issue of the sword…and the choice between killing the Big Bad and killing the Seventh Seal. I mean, the choice is easy, I'd have made it no matter what but it's not like I know any more about swordplay than you do. I used to read a lot of fantasy novels but they never really offered much in the way of practical instruction."

"Will…babbling," Tara reminded her tactfully.

Willow pursed her lips together as she looked down at the gorgeous woman in her lap and reflected her total misfortune. She had finally met the woman she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, and the whole world was going to hell and she was supposed to be some kind of Xena incarnation. She wished she had spent more time watching the way Xena wielded her sword instead of the way her leather skirt moved about her thighs.

Terrified as she was, a part of Willow was grateful that she did have this burden. Tara could concentrate on her daughter and she could worry about this impossible task. As hot as the mental picture was, she hated the thought of Tara having to wield a sword in combat.

"I love you," Willow could think of nothing else to say, nothing coherent anyway.

She gently picked up Tara's hand and laid a kiss on her knuckles.

"That's all I need to hear right now," Tara replied, feeling distinctly reassured.

Neither spoke after that. Although there were perhaps things that needed to be expressed, neither wanted to try and put those things into words. Tara eventually drifted off to sleep cradled in Willow's lap. Willow sat running her fingers through Tara's hair as the ticking of the clock gradually reinvaded her head. She ignored the sound as a herald of impending doom and allowed it instead to soothe her into sleep.

* * *

Bob was tired. He had worked tirelessly to bring about the release of his lord and now that he was within grasping distance of his goal he felt drained. There had been the decades spent engaged in seemingly pointless' minute tasks consoled only by the knowledge that they were necessary and would one day eventually add up to victory. He then shuddered at the memory of eighteen years spent living the life of a family man in order to move vital chess pieces into play. The façade of that life had been so convincing he had almost fooled himself into believing that he could comfortably live such a life. However, he had never drifted far from the ultimate goal of the Society, that which they had worked at for over two hundred years, ever since that meddling coven had ensnared their lord with that infuriatingly effective Seal.

His clenched both his fists at his side. It was only a matter of time now and he would perform the rituals on the remaining Seals, including the Seventh. This of course required breaking the Guardian…a task which he felt more than able to carry out. He remembered his meeting with the redheaded woman, standing above her as she cowered in his presence. There had been just enough defiance in her eyes to ensure that the breaking would at least be rewarding.

Bob smiled.

"There will be problems my lord," a small voice suddenly whispered in his ear.

The master closed his eyes, fighting the urge to turn and blast the insignificant little underlying to dust, he had not heard the lackey approach and this made him very angry indeed. He had been too rapt in his own thoughts.

"I thought I told you not to sneak up on me and whisper in my ear like the slimy little weasel you are, Mr Brown," Bob uttered through clenched teeth.

"My humblest apologies, my lord!" Mr Brown bowed low, his forehead almost scraping the floor.

In a whirl of his black cloak, Bob spun and bore down on the pathetic little wretch he now regretted choosing to serve him. The idea of blasting him into smithereens was extremely appealing. Mr Brown's eyes widened with his realisation that he had unconsciously repeated his earlier mistake and he went down on all fours, pressing his forehead to the ice-cold floor as he waited for the killing blow. Bob towered over the squat little man who prostrated himself before him. He was less a weasel and more a toad, right down to his bald head and bulbous dark eyes. His brown robe flared out on the floor around him, not managing to conceal his bulk.

"I thought I've told you not to call me that!" the voice thundered around the room so loudly it masonry dust free from the cracks in the stone walls

"But it's so irreverent my -" Mr Brown began to utter it once more before managing to cut himself off, "And it's not even your real name, I thought it was-"

He risked lifting himself from his uncomfortable position on the floor and moving into a marginally more comfortable kneeling position. His gaze lifted a little defiantly. Even as he did so, he found himself with no air to breathe. He attempted to draw a deep breath but it was as though he were suddenly standing in a vacuum. His master advanced with one hand raised as thought it was about to make a downward chopping movement.

"That name is dead to me…it ties me to her!" Bob's voice continued to shake the very stones which encased them, Mr Brown tried desperately not to glance up at the ceiling to confirm that it was not about to come down on his head as Bob spoke. "Her part in this is over. Over, do you understand?"

Mr Brown nodded, although he thought perhaps his leader was being a little too vehement. "Yes…Bob, but I think that-"

He was not interested in listening to anything the little man had to say, "In fact, Mr Brown, you will make it your personal mission to put her out of her misery tomorrow," Bob nodded as though this satisfied him immensely.

"Thank you!" Mr Brown replied enthusiastically, almost believing that his earlier transgressions had been already overlooked.

Bob narrowed his eyes at the underling. "No Mr Brown, this is not a privilege…it merely indicates how insignificant she is that I would assign her killing to a fool like you…even had I not the other problems to deal with myself, I would not have bothered with her. I do not stoop to squash insects."

Mr Brown nodded, still feeling that he ought to be grateful to be alive let alone assigned a specific task. Bob did not acknowledge his acceptance and instead spun deftly on his heels, turning his back on the kneeling man to pace the darkened room.

Behind him, Mr Brown hesitated, wondering whether to try and explain to his master the problems that weighed his mind….especially in relation to the Guardian of the Seventh Seal. His legs were aching and cold on the floor and he desperately wanted to flee the room. However, he did not even risk shifting his weight, instead remaining seated exactly as he was.

A few minutes later Bob turned and raised his eyebrows. "Are you still here?"

"The problems, Bob," Mr Brown began insistently.

"Ah yes, the problems, please inform me of these crucial insights which you seem to have gleaned where I have not."

"I was not insinuating!" Mr Brown's eyes bulged.

"Speak!" Bob growled. He was infuriated with the constant grovelling and apologizing that surrounded him.

"We did not foresee the Guardian's relationship with the Seal's mother that we have recently been informed about, it should be factored into our plans as I believe it could possibly prove our undoing."

Bob growled low in his throat, it sounded like the tearing of old paper. "Of course we are aware of it. Just what is your learned opinion, Mr Brown?"

Mr Brown flinched at the sarcasm in Bob's voice but continued nevertheless, "Love can made people behave unpredictably. We may never be able to break the Guardian due to her feelings for the Seal's mother and in turn, the seal itself will remain intact."

"Thank you for that extra special little insight, Oprah!" Bob snapped angrily, dwelling on the thought of turning the man inside out. "It is it or do you have something else warm and fuzzy to discuss with me. Hugs and puppies perhaps?"

Mr Brown almost caught himself muttering under his breath like a disgruntled school child but Bob's stony expression kept his dangerous opinions in check. In fact, he really wanted nothing more than to scurry from his overlord's presence before he was reduced to a pile of something sticky and foul-smelling. He managed to formulate a reply that was straightforward, but no less likely to cause offence.

"The sword Bob, we've neglected to mention the sword."

Bob's response was unexpected and he simply smiled and nodded. When Mr Brown raised his eyebrows in surprise, Bob reached out and patted him on the cheek with the palm of his hand.

"Never you mind about the sword Mr Brown, I've seen to that little matter," Bob replied in an upbeat tone, completed by a very satisfied smirk on his paper-like face.

* * *

_Willow was seeing without really seeing. Although her eyes were open, her focus had a limited scope for some reason. She picked out details, without seeing the whole picture. As a result, information flowed to her brain in neat parcels…although this did not make it any easier to digest. Each time her gaze shifted, it seemed to fall upon complete carnage, all around her lay the dead and dying bodies of people she knew…and loved. Buffy lay twisted and broken, her sightless eyes staring up at the sky but one hand was reaching out towards a second woman, a brunette, lying face in a pool of blood. Willow instantly recognised the black leather jacket as belonging to Faith. She continued scanning her surrounds and saw Mat and Dawn…bloodied and dead. Spike lay in front of the teenagers as though he had been defending them. Nat lay next to her brother. She saw Captain Diebel, and a number of the guys from her precinct, lying surrounded by spent bullet casings, their weapons clutched in lifeless fists. Willow's gaze passed over them all…and she did not feel a thing. She saw Giles, staring at her in death, his glasses smashed on the pavement beside him. A smaller body lay beneath him, blonde hair fanning out, smeared with blood. Willow knew instantly who it was and still her heart did not skip a beat. _

_Something hard and cold filled her fist. Willow gaze lowered to see a sword, its length completely covered in dark red blood. The sword faded into the background, and instead she focused on her booted foot and what, or rather who, lay beneath it. Her boot was pressed against a pale, blood smeared cheek and above the toe, a pair of bright blue eyes stared up at her in absolute terror. Willow withdrew her foot and the woman continued to stare up at her, chest heaving in great, racking breaths. _

"_Who are you?" the woman whispered in a tortured voice. _

_Willow did not feel the need to speak in reply although she thought that perhaps there ought to be words that needed speaking, some form of apology perhaps. The sword thrummed impatiently in her hands, reminding her that she had a task to carry out. Willow lifted the sword and it rose easily above her head as though it were weightless. She paused for only a second at the top of her swing before bringing it crashing downwards._

A rough hand reached out through the darkness and firm fingers dug roughly into her shoulder. Willow responded with an angry growl as she tried to shake the insistent contact off. A second hand grabbed her other shoulder and she was shaken fiercely.

Willow was still being shaken when she finally awoke and as a result, she was extremely pissed off when she saw it was Faith responsible for her rude awakening. She noticed Buffy was standing at her shoulder. Before she could confront the brunette or her partner, Willow glanced to see Tara still asleep on the sofa beside her. Her gaze fell over the soft rise and fall of Tara's chest and up to the silken curve of her cheek. She remembered their frantic, emotional fucking in the forest earlier that night but at the edges of that vividly raw memory lay something else, an elusive feeling that Willow struggled to grasp. When she did manage to dredge it up, it was so cold and chilling a strangled gasp escaped her lips. Even as she leapt to her feet and away from Tara, she lost it once more. It was concealed once again in a place her conscious self could not access.

Tara woke with Willow's sudden movement out from beneath her head and she sat up in a daze. The sight of Willow staring straight at her with an ashen expression greeted her, as though she had just seen a ghost…or something far worse.

"Will?" she asked immediately. She was forced to stifle a wide yawn a split second later.

"You two can have a domestic discussion later," Faith butted right in, her hissing voice earnestly serious. "The shit has hit the fan and we're not going to come out of this clean. Spike, hurry the fuck up!"

She looked over her shoulder just as Spike emerged from the kitchen, several crossbows slung over his shoulders, a heavy sword in one hand and a wicked axe in the other. He tossed the axe and one of the crossbows to Faith in rapid succession. She caught both, slinging the crossbow over her own shoulder and twirling the axe to test its weight. A quiver of crossbow bolts came her way and these were slung over her other shoulder. Buffy had her standard issue pump action shotgun tucked beneath her arm and her pistol tucked in a holster at her side.

"Spike, wake Giles, Xander and Anya and fill them in," Faith barked orders swiftly and the peroxided Englishman did not pause for a moment as he darted to do her bidding, Faith turned her attention back to the two women who were both wondering what the fuck was going on. "Tara, I need you to get upstairs and stay there with the kids, send Nat back down to us, we're going to need all the muscle we can muster."

Tara's eyebrows lifted at the mention of Nat being called 'muscle' but she did not skip a beat as she stood. "What the hell is going on?"

Willow felt lost. Her concentration was only restored when Buffy pressed her own handgun in her hand. She glanced down at the black metal before back up to Faith who looked as though she had no time to give them the answers they sought.

"They're here," she hissed. "I don't know how the hell they did it but they found us before we could make our next move."

Tara's gaze shifted as though she was looking through the wall to the little room where Ashley lay sleeping and her lips parted in horror. She glanced instinctively towards Willow and glance she received in return from her redheaded lover was one that would have frightened her if she had the time. While Willow's face was almost expressionless, her eyes spoke volumes that Tara could not read. Hidden in those green pools was something that yearned to be let loose, something huge and terrible. The moment passed when Willow blinked and she moved towards Tara, gripping her hand with one of her own that was icy cold. Her gaze was filled with a fierce love that both reassured and frightened her blonde lover.

"Do as Faith says, I won't be far away." Willow whispered. Her words were just as fierce as her expression.

"What are you going to do?" Tara's eyes flicked briefly to the gun in Willow's hands and then back to her face.

Willow suddenly felt the dead weight of the mechanical weapon and she tossed it to Buffy, who caught it with a surprised look on her face. She turned back to Tara,

"I'm going to let myself go," Willow replied calmly. "No restraints…no control…or else everything will end here and we'll all die."

"Will-" Tara began in a cautionary tone.

Willow silenced Tara by cupping her face tenderly, pressing the tips of her fingers hard against the smooth skin of her cheeks. They shared a brief moment that ended with Willow pressing her lips to Tara's in a chaste but intense kiss. When she drew back the resolve on her face was firm and would brook no argument.

"You know I have to do this," Willow whispered fiercely. "But you also know that I'll come back to you."

As Willow let her go, Tara's expression on her face said that she was far from convinced but she nodded stiffly and turned for the kitchen. Although Willow watched her until she disappeared around a corner, Tara did not look back once. Willow turned back to face Faith, Spike and Buffy. Giles, Xander and Anya had also joined them. Although the bespectacled Englishman was sleep tousled from his rapid awakening, he clutching an axe and looked ready for business. Xander also held a crossbow and an axe. The weapons were seemingly at odds with the white t-shirt and pyjama bottoms he wore. He also wore Anya on his arm, the blonde clutching at her husband as though she was drowning. Each of them looked to Faith for direction and she marshalled them calmly.

"I didn't have time to scout properly, but they outnumber us a good ten to one…at least," Faith begun, sounding as though these odds were quite acceptable and manageable.

While Spike snorted, the rest of the group breathed in a collective sigh of trepidation as they did not share Faith's optimism. Willow cast a glance out over the lake once more, the beautiful scene it presented was in direct contrast to the dread she felt inside. She half expected to see helicopters tearing towards them until she supposed that probably wasn't the way these people worked.

Faith continued speaking, "Spike and I will act as a roving defence around the house, concentrating on protecting the entrances, the roof, the weak spots where they might enter and get up to the kids-"

"Er, hello!" Anya interrupted, raising her hand as though she were in a classroom. "Shouldn't we just run?"

Faith glared as though this was the most moronic question she could have asked but she answered it calmly, "We wouldn't get more than a mile, if we could even get away in the first place and it's extremely difficult to defend a moving platform, for witches or fighters and we'd be in more than one vehicle."

"In other words, pet," Spike finished. "It would be messy."

Faith nodded curtly and resumed her rundown, "Spike and I will be roving, Giles and Xander will take up position on the deck with crossbows and axes, Buffy, I want you to be inside and anything that gets through the first line of defence and into the house will be up to you to deal with. Anya, you'll be with Buffy but with the main aim of watching those stairs and stopping anything from getting up there, Tara will set up a shield without a doubt but I don't want them to even get that far."

Anya nodded resolutely, although she was still terrified. "Hand over that axe, sweetie," she demanded of Xander.

Her husband proudly handed over the battle-axe and she hefted it rather expertly, Spike raised his eyebrows in surprise. Willow had listened while each of the gang had been assigned their tasks, and it was only when he name was not mentioned that she ceased staring out the window and met Faith's gaze.

"I don't know what to do with you, Willow," Faith admitted honestly. "And I think even if I did assign you a position it would not matter when all hell breaks loose, you'll go wherever you feel you need to be."

Willow just nodded gratefully and while everyone else was casting her strange looks as though she were suddenly about to grow tentacles, Faith just nodded in return. Spike glanced at their company and noticed someone was missing,

"Where's Nat," it wasn't a question, he sounded as though he already knew the answer and it was mere formality that he said it in the first place. "Methinks I know who did this to us."

"Spike?" Faith asked, brow furrowed questioningly.

At that moment Tara came thudding down the stairs, Ashley and Dawn in tow. Willow immediately met Ashley's gaze and the little girl gave her a resolute thumbs up. Dawn seemed by far the more terrified of the two girls.

"Nat's gone, along with Matt," Tara breathed in deeply. "Dawn says Nat never went up to bed."

"Stupid filly's gone and done us all in," Spike rumbled, eyeing up his sword as though he was imagining exactly who was to be skewered on the end of it.

Faith whirled from facing Tara to Spike. "How the hell do you know this?"

Spike shrugged in far too nonchalant a manner for their present situation. "It figures, she's gone and we're all in a right mess and I never did trust her."

Willow suddenly remembered something from earlier that evening. "And I saw her talking on her cellphone earlier, I assumed it was harmless…but give the circumstances I suppose-"

"I'm surrounded by morons!" Faith growled. "You choose to tell me this now!"

As if to punctuate her angry words, their was a blood curdling war cry from somewhere in the forest, not too close but close enough to let them all know that their enemy were almost upon them. It began with one piecing voice before being taken up by a whole host. Tara searched out Willow one last time and their eyes met, emotions burning clear despite the distance between them. She then tore her gaze away and turned to usher the two girls back up the stairs.

"Right," Faith muttered loud enough for everyone to hear. "We're on, positions!"

Willow stood in the middle of the living room as the rest of the group scrambled to their respective positions, only pausing to grab an extra weapon or additional crossbow bolts. Despite the noise they made in their scramble, Willow could hear nothing except wind rushing past her ears. Stirred up by the wind, her hair whipped over her eyes. With the wind came a papery voice hissing in her ears that she remembered all too well,

_I promised I would see you again soon my daughter._


	18. All Hell Breaks Loose

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN  
All Hell Breaks Loose**

Willow watched as each member of their rather pathetic little army moved into the positions that Faith had assigned them. As they did, every single one of them turned and gave her a glance that she shivers down her spine. Although no words were exchanged, she knew exactly what each one was thinking…and each was thinking exactly the same thing. Willow could read their expressions almost as though they were speaking out loud to her in furtive, wary voices.

"_We don't know what you're capable of, Willow."_

"_And quite frankly you scare the frickin' bejesus out of us!"_

"_But whatever you are, and whatever you do...we're counting on you to get us out of this."_

It was the final assumption that left her cold and emotionless despite the terror that she knew she ought to feel. Willow could not help but think that the thoughts carried with them an inherent sense of blame, that all of this was her fault and therefore she was obliged to see them through it. She had every right to be just as terrified as any of them, and even less assured of what she might be capable of. While one could know exactly what a crossbow or an axe could do to a man, Willow had no idea what kind of weapons she possessed.

The first salvo against the house came as each of the Scoobies was tensed with the anticipation of impending conflict. Those downstairs with weapons in their hands and Tara and the children tucked upstairs in the attic. An explosion rocked the side of the house, shattering a line of windows inwards. The occupants of the house ducked, sheltering themselves from flying glass fragments with their arms. Willow was the only one who remained completely still, watching the flying glass as though it were inherently fascinating. She did not even flinch when a shard struck her forearm, she merely glanced down to see a thin line of blood welling up from an inch long cut.

Willow continued watching as it welled up to the point where it began to flow down her forearm, to her wrist and over the back of her hand. It dripped on the carpet in a slow, constant rhythm. She lost track of time watching the blood flow.

"Willow! Duck!" Someone screamed and Willow's head jerked up to find the shiny blade of an axe almost level with her head.

She ducked, throwing herself to the ground only a moment too soon. She heard the axe sing through the air as it passed mere millimetres from her scalp. Willow hit the ground hard and rolled to face her attacker. She came face to face with a smooth-faced young man, robed in dull brown and armed with a large axe. He could have been any other guy, one of the cops from the precinct even, except for the look of pure fanaticism on his face. As his arm lifted to bring the axe crashing down on her, Willow saw his robes part to reveal what he was wearing underneath. In contrast to the monk-like robe, he was clad in dark, tightly fitted combat gear including top of the line body armour covering his chest. He looked even more like one of the SWAT guys from the precinct.

As Willow stared at the young man, his teeth gritted for the blow, she watched his expression slacken suddenly. He toppled forward to land on top of her, revealing Faith standing over his body with a bloody axe. Willow shoved the dead body aside and took the hand Faith offered her.

"Get it together, Red!" Faith yelled over the noise. "The fuckers are everywhere!"

Willow was suddenly aware of the cacophony which surrounded them. Although it had seemed mere seconds between her arm being cut and the axe almost decapitating her, Willow realised that much more time had passed. Everywhere she looked she saw her friends engaged in struggles of their own. Xander was on his back, lying atop shattered glass as a robed figure pressed down on him and fought for control of the axe in Xander's hands. Its blade was perilously close to the young man's neck. In seconds, Faith swept the assailant off Xander with a swift kick to his stomach which sent him rolling off. Her axe came crashing down moments later.

In the midst of shattering glass and frantic shouts, Willow spun to see Anya and Buffy at the base of the stairs. Both blonde's worked their axes as though they were born with them in their hands and Willow noted the bodies that lay around them. She spun again to see Spike go crashing through a window as he grappled with another body, they both fell outside where Willow could no longer see them. Willow saw Giles on the deck, the glass that had once separated it from inside was shattered and she had a clear view. He was loading crossbow bolt and succeeded in plunging it into the chest of an attacker as he scaled the deck.

Willow found herself shoved aside roughly as Buffy went crashing past her, legs and arms wrapped around the back of a man who struggled to try and throw her off. Buffy succeeded in forcing him to the ground where Faith was on hand once again to put an end to him. Buffy leapt to her feet and grinned at Faith for a moment. Even as Willow watched her move back to the stairs to retrieve her fallen axe a light flashed in front of her eyes, directly behind Buffy. Willow was thrown backwards and she tumbled over the couch in the centre of the room to end up upside down with her head planted in the floor. As she untangled her body and climbed back over the couch, dust and smoke filled the air. She looked where Buffy had been standing to find a gaping hole in the side of the house and a huge hole in the floorboards below that went right down to the foundations. Buffy was nowhere in sight. Throughout the room others, both friend and foe, were also picking themselves up from where the explosion had knocked them.

Willow found herself walking forward, through the room and the struggling bodies around her until she found herself poised at the hole in the side of the house. She glanced out into the early dawn light to see a familiar but most unwelcome sight standing some distance from the house, just on the edge of the forest. Although it was still quite dark and the figure was robed, its face hidden beneath a cowl, she knew exactly who it was. It was Bob. Without a further thought, Willow scrambled down the rubble and made her way to the ground. Almost immediately shapes came rushing at her from all sides, robed and hooded shapes that moved swiftly in the darkness, each carrying a shiny weapon that she knew could tear her open instantly. The thought of dying did not sit well with Willow at all, but she was all too aware of the fact that her hands were empty. Willow had no known arsenal of magic tricks to call on and she felt the cold grasp of fear take hold of her limbs.

With fear flooding her body and threatening to immobilise her, Willow suddenly found the strength to fight all of it down. She suppressed it with an angry and violent thought, and lashed out at the men who surrounded her. The emotions she felt on the inside, were reflected outwards and an invisible force hit each of them like a brick wall. Willow looked down at the bodies and couldn't tell whether she'd killed them or merely knocked them out. What she did know however, was that she didn't care and her fear had dissipated.

"Well done, my dear," Bob commented in a slow drawl. He applauded her with a gentle clapping of his hands.

Willow shivered as the sound of that voice grated down her spine. Almost involuntarily, she kept walking towards the robed man. He was still partially concealed by darkness. She felt strong, felt the magicks running beneath her skin, behind her eyeballs, and throughout her body. Their potential was limitless…her potential was limitless. The magicks were straining against her body, fighting to be released. It was almost painful trying to keep them under control and Willow felt a line of sweat form across her forehead.

"That was nothing," Willow replied to Bob's earlier congratulatory remark in a gravely voice, "Tell your thugs to withdraw and get the hell away from us or I'll show you what I'm really capable of!"

Bob's thin lips curled up into an anticipatory smile, "That is something I would very much like to see…show me."

Willow let out an angry growl, annoyed and frustrated at the fact she would now be playing straight into his hands by unleashing anything. However, she could not stand by and do nothing while her friends struggled around her. She dragged up a memory from her first meeting with Bob, they had be too late to save the Gibson girl and the uniformed officers accompanying her had been roasted alive by a single word from Bob's lips. Willow remembered that word, she raised her hand and hissed it from between gritted teeth.

"Cremo!"

There was a massive eruption of fire and light from Willow's palm and a ball of liquid fire engulfed Bob from head to toe. An elated Willow stood and watched the old man burn.

* * *

Tara wasn't sure if the trembling was originating from within her own body or one of the smaller ones pressed up against her. She stood with her arms wrapped securely around her daughter, while Dawn and Matt were slightly behind her. She glanced over her shoulder to see the young man shielding a pale and trembling Dawn with his own arms. She felt Ashley shift glanced down to see her staring up at her with a confident expression.

"Don't be so scared, Mommy," Ashley whispered. "Willow won't let anything happen to us."

It was then that Tara realised she was indeed the one who was doing all the trembling. Ashley was gripping her forearm in an effort to help. Tara felt sick to her stomach at the thought she should show such fear in front of children she was supposed to be protecting. This helped the tremors to subside and she managed to lean down and deposit a small kiss on Ashley's forehead.

"I'm not scared, Ash, sweetie," Tara managed to keep the tremors from appearing in her voice. "And yes, Willow would never let anything happen to us."

She wished that she could have strengthened her voice with a little more conviction but she could not. The thought of a completely untrained witch trying to stand up to someone who was obviously in full control of their magical abilities was hardly confidence inspiring. When it was her lover in question, it was nothing short of terrifying.

Although the attic door was closed and barred with a chest of drawers, the sounds of the battle raging below could be clearly heard through the walls. No specific sound could be made out save for the ring of steel upon steel and garbled shouts that could have come from anyone. All these sounds were drowned out when a huge explosion rocked the entire house, every nail in the attic threatened to jar loose and the kids instinctively clung tightly to Tara.

The blonde ducked her head as shards of glass from the attic's windows went flying through the air. She felt several shards strike the exposed flesh on the backs of he hands and more grazed her scalp. Dawn let out a piercing scream directly in her ear. Moments later all four of them were thrown to the ground as first the door and then the chest of drawers behind it were reduced to splinters of wood. The destruction of their barrier threw up a cloud of dust that took time to dissipate. Before it had cleared, Tara had hauled herself to her feet, placing herself between the kids and whatever was about to come through the door. She steeled herself by reaching inside and drawing upon all the reserves of strength she possessed. Her lips formed a spell, words barely audible. As the words filled the air, her fingers crackled with unspent energy screaming to be released, it physically manifested itself in a light blue finger dancing across her fingertips. When the first shadow emerged in the gloom and debris of the shattered doorway Tara drew back her arm and threw a fireball squarely in the centre. The shape let out a sharp cry and fell backwards down the stairs. Tara heard a series of thuds as though the body had struck others making their way up the stairs. It was some moments before they could resume their progress up towards their prey. The next two practically flung themselves through the breach. Tara reacted quickly, throwing two more fireballs, but the second figure fell so close his outstretched hand was almost touching her foot. She didn't even have time to think as she threw the next, so when the brown robed man waved it aside with a flick of his wrist it took a few moments for Tara to register that he was still standing in front of her.

* * *

Mr Brown yelled out in fury as the first Society member through the opening he created came flying back out almost as soon as he had entered. His limp body cascaded into the others crowding the narrow stairway causing a struggle with entangled limbs. He was finally thrown clear, back down the stairs and the attack pressed forward.

"Don't harm the seals you fools!" he cried, knowing full well they would not be able to get past the witch who stood guard behind the door.

Mr Brown was already slightly wary, whoever it was had shown themselves to possess some magicks and he guessed that it would be the Maclay girl. His dry tongue ran across his chapped lips in anticipation of the glory that was his. When his Master had graciously allowed him to be the one to kill her, Mr Brown knew that this was his chance to move higher in the ranks of the Society. He was trembling with anticipation when he moved forward to take the place of the two imbeciles who had preceded him.

Predictably, the girl cast another ball of crackling blue fire which he easily cast aside and sent it smashing into the already damaged wall. He was happy with the surprise etched on her soot streaked face, clearly she had been expecting more thugs with axes to throw themselves at her. He looked behind her to see all three of the seals gathered neatly together for him to collect. There was a teenage boy with a defiant expression on his face as he sheltered a teenage girl and a smaller girl who also appeared defiant; in fact, her teeth were bared at him. Mr Brown merely smiled back at the little girl who was the splitting image of her mother.

"Get out of here you foul wretch!" the young woman hissed. "These children are under my protection and you will die trying to take them from me!"

"No, no, I don't think so, Miss Maclay," Mr Brown replied, shaking his head evenly. "Can't you hear the sounds of your friends dying downstairs?"

Tara tried to keep the apprehension from her face. This slimy, toad-like little man knew not only her name but her deepest fears. These cult-like thugs would seek to kill every last person she cared about, her family, her daughter and her lover. She knew instantly that there would be no pleading for her life or those of the children. They would stop at nothing to destroy the seal. Tara knew that the tiny attic was a battleground and she it's only defender. It was definitely not a time to give into fear.

Tara refused to answer his baiting and instead cast her second spell. "Nox nebulus!"

As the words crept from her throat they were accompanied by a dark mist. It issued forth from her throat and crossed the room in a steady stream to wrap itself around her opponents head. The darkness thickened about his face as though it was a blanket. He stumbled and tried to clutch at the mist that was choking him but he was grasping at nothing.

Mr Brown stumbled wildly about the room like a man in a drunken stupor. He crashed into the bunk beds, the wall and would have tumbled backwards down the stairs if not for one of his lackeys holding him up. Even as he was suffocating, Mr Brown was furious enough to tear himself from the arms of the man attempting to help him and move forward once more. He searched out blindly with his hands, hoping to lay a hand on that wretched woman so he could strangle her. Instead all he met was her fist planted squarely in the middle of his face. The blow was not particularly hard but it was enough to send him reeling back once more into the arms of his lackey. This time he managed to hiss a desperate dissipation spell even as the foul stuff flowed down his throat. Like a veil being lifted, the mist rose. Before he could take a breath he collapsed to the ground and vomited copious amounts of black sludge, gasping breaths between retches. His shoulders heaving, he glared up at the young woman looking down on him. Her fist was still tightly balled. Mr Brown wiped the last of the foul substance from the corner of his mouth and stood on shaky legs. He tried to give the appearance of weakness just before lashing out with his next spell. He was not about to let himself be defeated by this puny woman.

"Vorare!"

"Protego!" Tara gasped out just as the Toad's consuming spell slammed into her body.

She forced her shielding spell forward, further away from her own body and the children even as she felt its evil begin to eat into her flesh. It was terrifying to watch the skin disappear from her fingertips as the vorare spell consumed everything within its circular reach. Tara appeared to physically shove it forward with her arms, although in actual fact it had nothing to do with physical strength. It was an invisible battle, witch and warlock trying to gain the upper hand over one another.

"R-retro…ago," Tara gasped, the effort the reversing spell called for was almost too much for her.

When Mr Brown found himself facing his own spell cast back in his face his skin went white with terror. He threw up a hasty shield but the vorare spell sheared through the invisible barrier and straight through his left arm. It continued on to take the head off the man standing behind him and he toppled down the stairs on top of his other cronies. Mr Brown stared at the stump, the wound neatly cauterized by the spell and the arm nowhere to be seen. Although the pain was so intense he felt like screaming, he calmly advanced on the exhausted young witch, correctly guessing that fighting off his spell and reflecting it had virtually sapped all of her strength. He looked into her glazed eyes and he knew he was right. He slapped her across the cheek with a vicious backhand and she fell to the floor.

"Mom!" the child made a move for her mother, throwing her arms across in a vain effort to protect her.

"Get back, Ashley," Tara whispered urgently. "Get back all of you!"

Mr Brown watched as Tara pushed her back roughly and out of his reach. He lunged forward with his arm and jerked her into a kneeling position. He felt a perverse satisfaction as his spindly fingers closed on the young woman's chin and jaw. He jerked her head upwards in a vicious yank, forcing her to meet his gaze. His grip tightened, squeezing as hard as he could.

"You took my arm," his hissed, teeth gritted against the pain.

"It should have been your life," Tara replied awkwardly as his fingers squeezed her lips into a shape barely capable of uttering a sound.

"I will take yours instead," he nodded feverishly as he spoke, unable to keep his face from reflecting the excitement he felt within. "And you will die knowing that I will deliver these children straight to my master and in turn they will die and the Seal will be broken!"

"Like hell they will!" Tara hissed as she made a sudden movement forward with the last of her flagging strength.

Mr Brown felt a single, sharp, searing pain in his middle before he felt nothing at all. He glanced down to see the young woman's hand thrust against his belly. She withdrew her hand moments later and he saw a large, jagged shard of glass protruding from his stomach. He grunted in surprise at the foreign object and his grip on Tara's chin weakened and she fell away from him. With his remaining arm, he reached down and tried to remove the glass from his body. The shard was covered in blood, both his own and from the woman's hand where she had grasped it tightly. His weakening fingers continued to slip as he strove to get a grip. It was almost comical save for the fact that he felt his strength ebbing away. His body swayed as his vision started to dull and he stumbled around the small space like a drunkard. Mr Brown felt his foot catch on broken floorboards and he went crashing onto his back.

As he struggled to lift himself up on his elbows he had some satisfaction in seeing the young woman unable to rise to her own feet. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped backwards, lost in unconsciousness or death...he hoped very much that it was the latter. The children were left defenceless and Mr Brown managed a smile as he saw several of his cohorts rush into the room.

He died feeling that he had served his Master well.

* * *

Any elation Willow felt at seeing the bastard burn quickly dissipated when she realised that the flames were licking harmlessly at his flesh. He was actually smiling through the flames. Moments later they disappeared altogether as though they had nothing to feed on. Willow was once again facing her nemesis.

"A simple trick," Bob offered comment. "I'm quite sure you could do it too, Willow."

The word was barely off his lips when Willow saw a sheet of flame fill her vision. Her lips did not even have time to part with the beginnings of a scream when the flaming heat engulfed her. Willow felt the flames nip at her exposed skin and she glanced down to see her clothing blackening and burning away. Although Willow felt as though she were trapped in an awful nightmare for an age, a fraction of a second later the flames vanished as though sucked into a vacuum around her body. She was left standing in her smoking, smouldering clothes. She lifted her right hand to find the skin scorched off the back of it.

Bob clucked his tongue as though she were a child who had discovered that fire burns. "The fire is very real isn't it - especially if your reactions are a tad slow."

While the sensation of being on fire had unnerved her slightly, it gave Willow a feeling of invulnerability. She was anything but slow with her next movements as she glanced over her shoulder at the rubble from the lake house. Bringing her hands forward in a throwing motion, several rocks lifted themselves from the ground and went hurtling towards Bob. No sooner had he finished his words than the first stone struck him square in the chest. He grunted was knocked backwards but did not fall. Willow found the rocks she had thrown suddenly turned on her. Instinctively, she dived to the ground, relying on her physical abilities rather than magical. One rock struck a hard, glancing blow on her shoulder and a second grazed her forehead. Willow rolled, momentarily dazed. She dragged herself to her hands and knees and felt the warmth of blood flowing down the side of her head. From the corner of her eye she saw Bob advancing towards her, each step confident.

She remembered destroying the vampires that had attacked Tara and drew the balls of fire back to her finger tips again. She watched the orb as it spun lazily above her hand in perfect control and a split second later she hurled it through the air. A second and third followed immediately after and Willow watched as all three went hurtling towards the robed figure. One soared inches above his skull-like head, while the other two he caught in each hand. He threw both at the same time and Willow cried out, covering her head with her hands.

"Miss!" Willow yelled desperately.

A strong gust of wind swept between the duelling pair and sent both fireballs off course, one crashing into the earth not a metre away from Willow. It left a trail of scorched and blackened earth. The second smashed into the topmost point of the lake house. Willow watched as the roof crumbled inwards directly above the attic and she felt a stab of horror. Tara and the kids were in the attic. It was all she could do to hope that they were safe. She knew this had to end soon, or none of them were going to leave this place alive.

The wind continued to whip about the pair. Willow stood, her hair covering her face as she gathered the invisible force to her. She recognised the affinity with elements that her abilities gave her. When she tamed the wind, she felt an ecstatic rush of power to her head as she sent it towards Bob. He was swept up and she watched his stick-like body soar through the air, windmilling several times before he crashed into a tree. His body flopped to the ground at the tree's base. Willow staggered to her feet and advanced.

"Cremo!" she yelled once more, hoping that he was too weak to fend off the fire attack a second time.

Bob's motionless body and the tree burst into flames at the same instant. The heat was so intense Willow had to move backwards or wilt beneath the flames. She stood, watching the spot where he had fallen intently. However, as she watched, she saw the burning tree seem to uproot itself. Her eyes opened in surprise as the mighty pine came crashing directly towards her. She tried to brush it aside as though it were a mere stick but instantly felt completely sapped of her strength. She realised it was too large and had to resort to running once again. She dived just as burning branches fell all around her.

As she scrambled further away, Willow felt an intense heat on her leg. She glanced down to see her jeans on fire. She dropped to the ground and rolled to put it out, batting down the last smouldering embers with the palm of her hand moments later. No sooner had she raised her head than she was struck by a flying branch, it slammed into her chest even as she tried to bring her arms up to protect herself. It continued to strike her over and over as though swung by an invisible hand. Willow curled up into a ball on the ground, hands over her head, legs tucked up to her check in an effort to present as small a target as possible. She had tried swatting the branch aside and shielding herself but her efforts were meagre at best, merely cushioning the blows instead of deflecting them altogether.

The blows ceased a minute later and left Willow lying in her small ball, feeling hollowness in her gut. As she uncurled her body and rolled over onto her back, Willow saw Bob slowly emerge from the surrounding haze. As he came closer, his battered body and tired face made him seem more human for a moment. Although this moment was quickly lost in Willow's anger, she first thought she recognised something extremely familiar in the shape of his jaw, in the way he was smiling. The thoughts were like the smoke that surrounded the pair of them, tantalisingly close, but completely unable to be grasped. She lifted her chin defiantly as he approached.

"Impressive, especially given your lack of training and complete lack of focus," Bob began in a thin voice, he sounded tired. "I think with more of both you would not have lost your strength so quickly."

"I've had training," Willow growled back in what was almost a lie, her sessions with Tara hardly countered as more than meditation. "And I still have strength!"

Bob chuckled lightly. "Your condition would say otherwise…and I know much more than you think, I know you, I know those around you-"

"Who are you?" Willow interrupted, sick of his patronising, cryptic banter.

"I told you, my name is Bob," he smiled benevolently.

"I know what your damn name is, Bob!" Willow emphasised the syllable and its ordinariness with her tone. "Who the fuck are you and why are you doing this? All to release some big bad who will probably kill you too? Do you want to destroy the world?"

Bob walked in a wide arc around Willow. She noted that he was moving slowly in an effort to conceal the fact that he was limping

"Temper, Willow," his voice grated in his throat. "I would not speak so to someone who holds your future in the palm of his hand."

Willow laughed, a dry sound that hurt her throat and sounded as though it came from someone else all together. She remembered laughing with Buffy, or Tara, and that sound she remembered sounded nothing like what now came from her throat.

"I would not…leave me alive," Willow managed to gasp between hacking coughs as she dragged herself up onto her hands and knees.

With her next cough she felt a metallic tang in her mouth and realised she was coughing up blood. She drew her hand across her mouth, keeping a defiant gaze on her enemy who was also struggling to stand. Willow watched as he tottered on stick-like legs, his ravaged cloak falling in tatters over his body. If it was possible, he looked like even more of a corpse. She knew that all it would take was one last attack, a fireball to burn him to cinders, an object to crush him…anything at all. Willow supposed that even a simple physical strike would send him flailing but she couldn't lift her body from the ground let alone swing a punch. Her eyes narrowed as she watched him, fingers clenched as she fervently wished to plant her fist into his skeletal jaw.

"I know, Willow," Bob spoke softly, a small smile creasing his leathery face even further. "The time will come when you will know where your true places lies, to those whom your allegiance should be given. Of course you will come to me - I am your family."

Willow fought to keep the anxiety from her face. "I know my place…and I know my family. In what world could you entice me to betray them?"

He took a step forward and Willow flopped onto her back, scrambling backwards in a desperate, crab-like manner. His advance stopped before he came within Willow's immediate vicinity and she realised that he was afraid that she still had something left to strike out with. She took a small measure of hope from this, the knowledge that she had come very close to defeating him…although given her defeat, this measure of hope was very small indeed.

"In my world of course," Bob rasped. "This is, after all, my world in which we fight and I have set all the rules including those governing your powers. You may have mustered a semblance of control but know that ultimately, I gave them to you."

Willow blinked uncomprehendingly, she knew that Guardians were given their magicks by the power of the same spell that had sealed off the evil, it was just the way it happened. She had never had reason to doubt that was not the origin of her own powers. She immediately though that Bob was lying in an effort to ruin her last shreds of confidence. However, Willow remembered that night she had been given her powers, the terrible monster that had killed the coven of women supposed to be responsible for her training. She remembered the icy evil that had crept through her bones…and she realised she could still feel it.

"Yes," Bob read the transparent look of horror that passed across her face, his voice rose above its raspy whisper as he grew excited. "Your powers which were bestowed by that annoying coven and they in turn were corrupted by the Society. There isn't an ounce of goodness running through your veins, Willow Rosenberg, and it is only a matter of time until the darkness overwhelms you…forcing you to acknowledge that it is where your true nature lies!"

Willow wished she could scream and denounce his words for the lies that they were but she found her grip on consciousness retreating fast. She slumped backwards and her back fell to the soft earth beneath her. As her vision faded to black she felt an overwhelming sense of despair at the thought of never seeing Tara again.


	19. Aftermath

**CHAPTER NINETEEN  
Aftermath**

Willow blinked. She found herself lying on her back staring up at the sky. The cornflower blue sky was peppered with cotton wool clouds. Blades of grass tickled her ears and cheeks. High overhead she watched the graceful arc of a bird as it soared and dipped. She felt as though she watched the beat of its wings for hours. She propped herself up, using her elbows at first before rising into a full sitting position. The air was still, the morning had dawned cool and crisp.

Memories returned slowly. Still not fully aware, Willow dragged herself to her feet. As soon as she was standing she began to remember what had happened before she found herself lying in the grass.

Her limbs felt as though they were no longer part of her body and she had to lift her hand in front of her face to reassure herself that it was indeed still attached. She waved it backwards and forth a few times to find that everything still appeared as though in slow motion. With her arm raised, she saw that it was bare and followed the lines of her forearm, elbow and biceps before ending up at her shoulder where her sweater finally began, torn and blackened at the edges. She lowered her hand and glanced down at her body. The sweater was also burnt at its hem, and the shirt beneath it. Her jeans were peppered all over with tiny scorch marks and holes and one leg had been torn away at the knee. Willow bent slightly to see her shin scraped bare of skin with tiny bits of dirt and gravel embedded amidst the crusted and still wet blood. Oddly enough, it did not hurt in the slightest.

Willow heard someone utter a grief stricken moan and when she spun slowly to find the source she found Faith bent over on the ground, cradling a limp body in her arms. Although Willow could only see a flash of blood-matted blonde hair and the sleeve of a leather jacket she knew instantly that it was Buffy. She started forward, her friend's name on her lips but at that moment Faith looked up. The Slayer gently laid Buffy's body down and rose to her feet, retrieving her bloodied axe from the ground as she did so. She then turned and ran towards Willow with a look of pure murder on her face. Willow immediately blanched as it appeared that she were the target of Faith's rage.

"Faith, wait!" Willow spluttered, unable to take her eyes off the axe in Faith's white-knuckled grip.

However the brunette brushed straight past her right shoulder and Willow turned to see Nat in nearby. The traitor who had betrayed them all to the Society was wandering from the trees as though in a daze. She hardly had time to realise what was happening before Faith pushed her to the ground, the momentum sending Nat flying onto her back. One she had her target down, Faith planted her knee squarely on Nat's chest. Her axe was raised as though she could bring it down at any moment.

"You sentenced us all to death. Tell me now why I should not kill you here and now?" Faith demanded, pressing her knee against Nat's throat.

The young woman gasped and tried to push Faith away but she could not budge the Slayer. Her eyes were wild with fright, fixed on the axe above her head.

"Faith, please!" Nat whispered desperately. "I was only doing it for my brother. They swore they would spare him. I would do anything to keep him safe, you must understand that."

Faith growled. "What I do not understand is how you could be so fucking stupid. You know they need Matt's life to complete the spell, what could have possibly made you think that they would let him live?"

"I don't know!" Nat cried in desperation. "I was so scared, I wanted all of this to be over - the running, the hiding, the fighting…please don't kill me."

"Buffy's dead, and you might as well have killed her yourself," Faith said coldly.

"Please, Faith!"

Willow watched from a distance as Faith's axe fell but at the very last moment before the weapon struck, she averted her glance. She heard the dull thud of the axe as it sank into something soft and her stomach heaved uncontrollably. She doubled over and noisily expelled the strawberry pop tart she had eaten the previous morning. When she straitened moments later she heard Nat sobbing quietly. It was tears of relief rather than pain. Faith's emotionless voice followed a few moments later.

"Get out of my sight before I realise I made a mistake in sparing you."

Willow looked up once again to see a still living Nat practically run in the opposite direction from Faith. She hardly cared whether or not Faith killed the girl. Perhaps she'd have plunged he axe into Nat's neck herself had she possessed the strength. As it was, Willow could barely stand. Faith sank back to her knees once more, trembling hands reaching out to stroke Buffy's blood matted hair away from her face. Willow felt tears burn red hot at the corners of her eyes but they would not fall. The burning sensation was a welcome reminder that she was still capable of feeling something. Her best friend's death hurt like hell. In her grief she felt ordinary and human.

All too aware that she was staring at Faith and intruding on her personal grief, Willow turned around to face Giles' house. She took an unsteady step towards it as though she knew that there was something or someone inside that she needed to see. As she continued walking closer, the damage to the house registered in her foggy head. It was scorched black in places where it had been seared by fire and the wood torn and rent in others from the strike of axes…and bodies. Half the front had been blown apart in the explosion that had killed Buffy instantly. It was the closest Willow had come to standing in the middle of a war zone.

She saw Giles stumble from his once pristine lakefront abode. For the first time since she'd met the Englishman she was actually pleased to see him. He walked towards her and met her gaze for a moment before he did an about turn to survey the damage to his property. He said nothing in response to the mess, simply turning his back on it and continuing towards Willow. As he approached Willow felt the burning tears finally begin to slide down her cheeks, each one squeezed out slowly. Giles was breathing laboriously as he approached, several cuts covering his hands and face.

"Willow," Giles whispered, reaching out a hand to place it on Willow's shoulder. "Are you alright?"

From the initial hesitant contact Willow found herself slipping easily into an embrace. Giles arm's slipped easily around her small frame and she found herself able to close her eyes for a few moments piece despite the burning smell that continued to assault her nostrils. She pulled back a few moments later, still feeling as though there was somewhere she needed to be.

"A…bit seared around the edges," Willow replied slowly as she glanced down at her blackened clothing. "But otherwise…I'm not hurt."

Willow realised that she was on the cusp of realising what it was she had been trying to remember and she furrowed her brow in concentration. She glanced up at Giles whose expression was radiating concern.

"Giles, I'm sorry for what's been said between us." The apology was out of the blue and yet she felt it needed saying. It was still not the thing that was tugging at the edge of her conscious.

"I am too, Willow," Giles removed his glasses and went to polish them with the ragged cuff of his shirt when he realised that one lens had cracked, he continued speaking as he stared at the broken glass. "I should have realised how much Tara needed you-"

_Tara!_ Willow's eyes darted back towards the house and its upper level. Tara had been upstairs. Even as the realisation dawned that she needed to find Tara, Willow felt a prickly sensation at the back of her neck as though her blonde lover was not what she sought.

"Tara," Willow felt the name roll of her lips as though she had forgotten it for a very long time. "Giles, have you seen Tara?"

The Englishman looked up from his glasses with a start and shook his head quickly. He too turned back towards the house. Willow suppressed the decidedly unpleasant prickly sensation that continued to pester her mind and broke into an awkward run as she made her way to the house. With her newfound purpose, some semblance of clarity returned to her and a smattering of hope out of the despair she had felt only a moment ago.

"Giles, gather everyone together, help who you can. We've got to act fast or the kids are dead!" _Good god, Ashley will be dead!_

Willow clearly remembered the smug expression on Bob's face as he announced the remaining seals were in his possession. She felt her hatred burn. She remembered sharing a strawberry pop tart with Ashley. It felt like a decade ago instead of just yesterday. Willow felt a keen sense of loss as she vaulted up a pile of rubble to enter the house through the nearest hole. For the first time she felt in her heart that Ashley was her daughter as much as Tara's.

The interior of the lake house looked as though it had been through an earthquake and two World Wars. Willow had to step over several bodies on her way to the stairs. She was thankful that none were her friends. Leaping up the stairs two at a time, Willow felt her heart pound in her chest from a combination of exhaustion and fear at the thought of what lay waiting for her in the attic. Nearing the top, the toes of her sneakers slipped and she went crashing forward, slamming her chin painfully on a stair in front of her despite putting out both hands to lessen the impact. As she lay sprawled on the stairs she lifted up the palms of both hands, covered in warm, sticky blood. Willow stared at it for a few moments. Although her occupation had sanitised her to violence, the thought that the blood might just be Tara's was a completely different circumstance, one she did not think she could ever get used to.

Willow crawled up the last few stairs on her hands and knees and practically fell into what was left of the attic. A cool breeze met her face as she slowly rose to her feet and she found herself standing in open air. Glancing upwards she saw only a few twisted remnants of the rafters which had once held up the roof…the roof was now nowhere in sight. Willow took a cautious step out onto what was once the floor of the attic, testing her weight.

"Tara!" a moment later any thoughts of the floor giving way were completely banished as Willow spied a pair of feet covered in yellow socks protruding from a pile of rubble.

Willow frantically tossed jib board and fabric fragments aside as she uncovered the body of her lover. Tara's twisted body emerged, trapped beneath one last rafter beam which Willow could not dislodge. She tugged at it in vain, even trying to will it off Tara with whatever magical strength she had remaining but the beam only wobbled pathetically.

"Tara? Tara, baby can you hear me?" Willow felt beads of sweat pepper her forehead as she gave the beam another pull, straining against its weight and the other debris it was trapped beneath. "For fuck's sake - move!"

Willow heard the floorboards creak behind her and she spun around to find a blank-faced Faith standing watching her. She flopped back onto her heels in an exhausted state, tears coursing down her cheeks.

"I can't move it," Willow heard herself mumble.

Without further hesitation, Faith strode past Willow and took up a secure grip. With one tug she pulled the beam free and tossed it aside with a crash, freeing Tara from beneath its weight. Willow scrambled past the Slayer to kneel at Tara's side. She crouched and stared, reluctant to reach out and touch her.

"Is she breathing?" Faith asked in a voice as blank as her expression, moving to stand just behind Willow's shoulder to crane her neck for a better view of her friend.

Willow felt her head about to explode, eyes straining to catch the rise and fall of Tara's chest. "No…god, I don't know. I don't think she is!"

Faith placed a firm hand on the babbling redhead's shoulder, squeezing tightly to bring Willow back to a semblance of calm. Willow glanced back over her shoulder to see Faith offering her a hand to take.

"Willow, I need you to step back for a moment, can you do that?"

Willow nodded slowly and took the proffered hand. She was hefted to her feet in one swift movement and Faith moved to take her place next to Tara. The Slayer reached out and picked up Tara's limp wrist with a gentle grip, sitting motionless for a few moments as she checked for a pulse. She only nodded in response to the unspoken question that was burning a hole in Willows chest and heard the redhead immediately let out a short sob.

"She's dead?" Willow whispered.

"Not dead…alive." Faith moved to check Tara's limbs and body for injury with a gentle exploratory touch, probing for breaks and internal injuries while a frozen still Willow held her breath.

Before Faith could finish her examination, Tara stirred noticeably. It was slight at first, just a trembling of the hand, and then her lips moved as though trying to form words and finally her eyes opened. She blinked a few times to bring her gaze into focus. She saw Faith first, kneeling close by and then Willow standing behind Faith with a chalk white face and dark rings beneath her eyes. With a slight groan she dragged herself into a sitting position. She put her right arm out to steady herself and upon contact with something solid she felt a sharp stab of pain from both her arm and the palm of her hand which was lacerated with jagged cuts. She knew at once it was broken. After a few moments to gather her senses and return to reality Tara realised that the pain was not just in her arm, it was everywhere. Her whole body was one mass of pain, her muscles felt as though they were jelly and about to slide right off her bones. She glanced down at her fingers to find the very tips of them were seared off completely, the wound cauterized.

"T?" Faith asked cautiously, motioning Willow to keep her distance with an urgent wave of her hand.

Willow found herself clenching her fists at Faith's command, she had no intention of smothering her lover with well-meaning but claustrophobic attention but she did want to be physically near her. The sight of a helpless and weakened Tara lying amongst the rubble of the attic spelt out the nature of their reality in plain terms, they were not playing a game and the losers died.

"I'm alright, Faith," Tara replied bravely, cradling her right arm with her left hand. "I think it's just my arm…and my brain feels like it has been scooped out with a spoon. I'm tapped out, I used everything I had…and it still wasn't enough."

"We all gave everything we had," Faith agreed in a defeatist voice.

Although she was scarcely a few feet away from Faith and Tara, Willow felt a sense of detachment from their conversation. While she too was exhausted and felt the sting of defeat as painfully as any of her friends, she was not about to concede victory to The Society and their parchment-faced leader. It was now that she now felt the full weight of her role as the Guardian of the Seventh seal, especially with the realisation that it was a role that had the potential to shape the outcome of the events swirling around them.

_Not just the potential_, Willow thought with a determined tightening of her lips. _If the prophecy found in the Veneficus is true then I'm the one that has the power to swing this battle either way and that means…_

Willow suddenly felt lighter, she realised she had managed to dig up an inkling of hope from the ashes of their defeat even as she realised she should have known it all along.

"They can't win…" Willow finished her train of thought aloud, causing both Faith and Tara to focus their attention on her.

_Although, given that the others have to rely on someone who is emotionally and magically unstable, I don't know if they'll feel the same way about our chances of coming out of this._

"Will," Tara spoke to Willow for the first time since she had woken, her tone spoke to her exhaustion but it also carried relief at the fact that her lover was alive and relatively unscathed. "Thank the goddess you're alright - are you alright?"

Willow hunkered down close to Faith at Tara's side and reached out to lay a reassuring hand on the blonde's thigh. "Yes, I may look like I've had the shit kicked out of me…but I'm fine."

"What do you mean 'they can't win'?" Faith demanded. "And you don't just look like you've had the shit kicked out of you; you did get the shit kicked out of you. So forgive me if I'm not sharing your newly discovered optimism."

Willow ignored the tone in Faith's voice. "The prophecy, the one Ashley found in the Veneficus, it all hinges on me…they can't even let this big bad out without me killing Ashley."

"Willow!" Tara hated the sound of those words coming from Willow's lips, not to mention the fact they served to remind her of the danger her daughter was in.

"And there's no way in frilly heck that is ever going to happen!" Willow asserted fervently, slamming her fist into her palm as she did so. "The hand is in our favour and they know it. That's why Bob didn't kill me when he had the chance. He needs me."

Tara's face whitened even more noticeably. "He almost killed you?"

Faith pursed her lips together as though she had realised that Willow's point was a good one. Meanwhile, Willow reached out to pick up Tara's left hand in her own, running her fingers over Tara's skin reassuringly. The contact was not enough and Willow shifted closer in order to pull Tara's body into hers. Still rapt up in thought, Faith subconsciously made space for the lovers to embrace. A silent sob racked Tara's frame once she was enfolded into Willow's arms as she allowed herself to recognise the pain of losing her daughter.

When Faith returned her attention to the two women, Tara's tears had dried on her cheeks and Willow was sitting back on her haunches, a mask of composure and determination on her face.

"You could be right, Red," Faith announced suddenly.

"I am right," Willow replied simply. "We should move fast though. Help me get Tara downstairs and into the car. We've got to get her to a hospital."

Even as Faith swept the blonde effortlessly into her arms, Tara was protesting at the thought of being sidelined in subsequent events - especially ones involving her daughter. She was protesting vehemently as Faith carried her down the stairs and into the ruined house. Willow remained behind for a few moments, buoyed somewhat by the small amount of hope she had managed to find in the aftermath of tragedy but also struggling to suppress the grief she felt. She could not get either the image of Tara lying as though dead and Buffy lying very much dead out of her mind. The thought of further deaths haunted her and she swore then and there that she would do everything in her power to save the kids - all three of them.

The Willow that joined the rest of their small gang outside the house a few minutes later was prepared to be a leader. The looks she received in return appeared to acknowledge this…all save Tara. The blonde's expression remained defiant even though Faith still carried her because she was too weak to stand.

Xander supported his wife's rather limp body, although it was unclear who needed help more between the two of them. His shirt was sliced open across his chest, revealing a nasty gash. He appeared ready to kneel over from loss of blood. Anya had obviously been battered and scorched in the explosion that had killed Buffy. Her face was covered in a thick layer of black soot.

"Has anyone checked if any of the cars still run?" Willow asked the rest of the group.

"Of course," Spike replied, he had been skulking behind everyone else, his usual swagger considerably subdued. "Xander's piece of shit is a bit rough around the edges but engine seems to work fine. Giles' car was safe enough in the garage. Yours is totalled though, Red - looks like it was hit by a stray fireball."

"Oh," was all Willow could manage at the mention of her beloved car, such trifles hardly seemed important now. "Okay, Giles, I want you to get Xander, Anya and Tara to a hospital in Xander's car."

"Certainly, Willow," even Giles, who had seemed to have a permanent beef with Willow in the past, accepted her leadership without question. "Although I can hardly imagine what they will think of our injuries!"

Tara seemed to be the only one not pleased with Willow's new leadership role as she pounded her fists against Faith's strong grip in a vain effort to get herself released.

"Willow Rosenberg, you are not sending me away when it's my daughter who is in danger!" she protested.

Willow followed at a safe distance as Faith carried Tara to the car, she felt the gap between them keenly and wished nothing more than to shut the rest of the world out and nurse Tara back to health herself. However, as Faith swung open the door of Xander's car and placed Tara inside she knew that this was the way it had to be. Tara collapsed back onto the seat and could not pull herself up again no matter how hard she tried to use her wasted muscles. Willow knew that Tara would not be able to follow her where she was going. She crossed the short distance to the car door and crouched down so she was level with Tara. The blonde met her concerned gaze with watery, defiant eyes.

"Tara-" Willow began quietly.

"Shut up, Will," Tara interrupted curtly. "I know you're doing what you think is best and I know I can't follow you…but that doesn't mean I'm going to go quietly. Ash means the world to me."

Willow reached out and laid her hand on Tara's arm, stroking the dirty skin as though it were priceless silk. She heard Tara let out a small intake of breath at the contact.

"I know, baby. Ash means a lot to me as well."

"You don't know, Willow!" Tara felt her temper rising, she was angry at her inability to do anything but she saw Willow's cheeks redden and realised the anger came across as though directed at her. She tried to rein it under control. "I'm sorry…but for so long Ashley was all I had. Giles, can we go please. If we wait any longer then I'll want to get out of the car."

Willow stood up and stepped backwards, whispering just two words before she quietly closed the door. "Love you."

With the door shut, she watched Tara's face on the other side of the glass. She saw Tara mouth the words, "I love you too," but Willow was not satisfied. Even as Giles coaxed the protesting, smoke-belching car to life, she motioned for Tara to wind her window down. It was only down halfway before the car began to move but Willow lent through the window and pressed her lips to Tara's for a brief second. That contact was enough to make her crave more but all too soon they were ripped apart and the car was rolling down the gravel.

Willow was immediately struck by the awful sinking feeling that she had done the wrong thing. She felt as though she should have kept Tara at her side no matter what.

_Oh god…what if something happens to her and I'm not there? We should be together._

"You want to be in that car," Faith stated simply as Giles pulled away with the car belching smoke from its exhaust pipe.

She turned and regarded the redhead who was still staring down the road, even when the car disappeared around the bend. Willow's fists were clenched at her side but she quickly folded them across her chest, hugging herself tightly. Just when she thought Willow was ignoring her, the redhead replied in a tight voice.

"It's killing me already," Willow replied, turning away from the road as though that would somehow make her feel better about her decision. "But I think it's hurting her more not to be a part of this."

"She knows you'll do everything you can to get Ashley back. We will do everything we can."

"We're running out of time-" Willow began.

"Matt and Little Bit could be dead already," Spike joined the two women still appearing to be completely crushed by the loss of his Seal.

"Spike, I know this might be asking the impossible but can you follow them?" Faith asked, assuming her position as leader as Willow struggled to deal with Tara's absence. "It's probably suicide to try and get close but -"

"Sounds like my cup of tea," he replied much too quickly.

Willow nodded. "They need the sword to kill Ashley, but Matt and Dawn are in immediate danger. Spike, be careful…and don't do anything stupid. We've had enough friends hurt today already."

The blonde Englishman shrugged nonchalantly. "No problem Red, I think I'll nip into town and steal myself a motorcycle."

The two women watched the swirl of his leather disappear into the trees and they were left standing in silence. It lasted for several minutes before Faith realised that Willow was once again lost in her thoughts, her green eyes misted over with apprehension and fear. No doubt amplified by the fact that she had just sent her lover away.

"Red," Faith whispered, trying to gently snap Willow out of her thoughts. "Willow!"

Willow turned and glanced at Faith out of the corner of her eye, her voice was tinged with grief as she simply stated the obvious, "Buffy's dead."

"We can grieve later," Faith choked slightly on the words but she held herself together.

Faith felt the absence of her friends and especially the diminutive blonde cop. She knew they had to get moving and find the sword before the Society. While seemingly simple, the task could easily prove their undoing for one very simple reason…

"Okay!" Faith announced resolutely, showing the optimism that only a Slayer could manage on the verge of an apocalypse. "Time to save the kids…and the world…um, Red, do you know where the hell we're going?"


	20. The Edge of the World

**CHAPTER TWENTY **  
**The Edge of the World**

_Willow awoke to find herself tangled amidst downy soft sheets. As she peered through her eyelashes she saw the harsh glare of sunlight. With one hand she stripped away the sheets to let the warmth pour onto her naked body. She stretched out fully and a sigh of pure delight escaped her lips. As she lay contentedly in the sun her arm flopped out from her body and probed at the empty expanse of bed next to her, searching for the warm and equally naked body that she knew she ought to find. When her fingers touched nothing but sun-warmed cloth, Willow finally opened her eyes. She confirmed that she was in the bed alone and sat up, furrowing her brow as she searched her bedroom. It was exactly the same as she had left it…although why she had left it at all, Willow could not remember. There was nothing pressing weighing on her mind that she had to do today, not that she knew what day of the week it was let alone her schedule, and she decided to curl back up into a little ball in the sunshine. _

_Moments later, Willow heard the sound of soft footsteps padding across the floor of her room and a small smile crossed her face. Keeping her eyes closed, she stretched out towards the sound with her hand. _

"_There you are," she whispered. "Come back to bed, baby."_

_Fingers touched her own. It was just the tips at first but eventually Willow found herself grasping icy cold fingers and then an entire hand. Strange, Tara's fingers were always warm. Willow opened her eyes to find herself staring into the parched white features of Bob._

Willow awoke suddenly and her forehead smashed straight into something hard and unmoveable. She groaned and flopped backwards, thankfully finding something supporting her back. After she had angrily rubbed her head for a few seconds she opened her eyes to find herself staring out of a car window with a foreign countryside rolling by outside. Willow's eyes drifted across the flat, brown expanse of grassland, bordered in the distance by a long range of cragged, snow-capped mountains. Only long lines of wire fences and flocks of sheep broke the monotonous beauty of the country.

Willow's gaze then shifted to the straight stretch of road that lay before the vehicle in which she rode, before finally looking across at Faith perched in the driver's seat. She glared in response to Faith's smirk and tried to stretch in her seat. Her eyes fell back onto the road for a few seconds and then widened in horror.

"Faith, for fuck's sake you're on the wrong side of the road!" Willow yelped in a mortified voice when she saw they were indeed driving on the left.

Willow's outburst merely caused Faith's smirk to break into outright laughter before she replied, "Not if I'm in New Zealand - which I am. Nice to see you were able to forget the twelve hour flight where we were sandwiched between a man who snored like a freight train and that six year old child who kept kicking me!"

"Oh," Willow muttered absently. "Of course…no wonder there are lots of sheep everywhere."

Faith wiped the smile from her face and replaced it with a slightly more sensitive expression. "Have a drink of water, you look like shit. There's half a chicken sandwich somewhere around here too."

Faith fished around in the pile of candy wrappers and water bottles littering the space between their seats and fished out the aforementioned sandwich nestled in its plastic box. She passed it across to Willow who was already taking a huge gulp of water.

After wiping her lips, Willow pulled down the sun visor above her head and glanced in the tiny mirror. Faith was right, she did look like shit. Her skin was waxy pale and looked as though it were drawn too tightly across her face. Dark circles hung beneath her eyes making them look sunken. Her hair was bound up into a scruffy ponytail but half of it had fallen out and was hanging limply around her face. She glanced down at the thick sandwich in her lap and immediately felt her stomach lurch uncomfortably as though it were threatening to rebel should she dare to try and eat it.

"Well if you're not going to eat it, I will!" Faith announced as her hand darted over to Willow's lap and snatched the morsel up. She continued talking as she stuffed her mouth full of sandwich. "You know, I'm not surprised that you don't remember the flight. You've slept every moment that we've been in a plane or a car since leaving LAX yesterday…or today, whatever! I can never get it straight."

"Where are we? Are we almost there?" Willow flipped the visor back up and glanced around for any sign of the map she remembered purchasing after landing at Auckland International Airport - their first stop on New Zealand soil.

"We're about two hours out of somewhere called Christchurch," Faith didn't appear to be consulting any map. "And we're headed in the right direction if you're thinking I've gotten us lost…although you're going to be the one responsible for putting us in the wrong country altogether. I mean, why the hell in that sword thingee in New Zealand?"

Willow remembered her dream of meeting the coven and the cryptic words that were the only clue she had as to the whereabouts of the Gladius. She quoted them again for Faith's benefit, "Travel to the highest mountain at the edge of the world, in a land almost unknown when the dark power was originally sealed and yet not unreachable."

"Yeah, yeah," Faith replied. "That could be any number of places, but you're leaving out the part where you're dragging us to New Zealand because of what you saw in a dumb-arse movie!"

"I know it's here," Willow replied firmly. "I remember the long mountain range in my dream and I should have realised sooner but it was exactly the same as the opening of one of the Lord of the Rings films - long, cragged mountains covered in snow. You'll just have to trust me on this one, Faith. I'm right, I know I am."

"You do know how much is riding on your hunch don't you?" Faith commented, a little more harshly than she intended.

The slayer instantly regretted her tone as she glanced across at Willow to find her trembling slightly in her seat. Faith reached across and laid a gentle hand on Willow's thigh. At first she thought Willow was going to retreat back into her own thoughts but eventually the redhead managed to calm herself.

"Hands, Faith," Willow commented with a ghost of a smile, nodding down towards Faith's hand lying on her thigh. "Hands verging on naughty touching."

Faith gave Willow's thigh a playful whack, glad to see that she retained at least a small semblance of her former self inside the worn out body that had to adapt to too much, too fast.

The pair drove onwards for a further half an hour, the flat farmland gradually replaced by more mountainous terrain as they left the plains behind and drove into the Southern Alps. As the road became narrower, Faith continued driving until they reached a small, faux European village dominated by small hotels and Alpine Guiding businesses. The little cluster of buildings were completely dwarfed by the mountain ranges surrounding them. Willow felt all too small when she stepped down from the SUV. Her legs were more than a little shaky as she closed the door behind her and took a few exploratory steps. She heard Faith slam her own door shut and move around to the rear of the vehicle. In minutes she had their brand new hiking packs containing the gear that they had picked up a few hours previously sitting on the ground ready to go.

Willow glanced over at the packs adorned with climbing gear hanging from various straps and down at her own attire. Faith was already rearing to go, bent over lacing her climbing boots as Willow wrinkled her nose at the bright yellow jacket she wore.

"I feel like I'm radioactive or something," Willow zipped the jacket up to her neck and flexed her arms within its confines.

"I'm sorry," Faith's own jacket was a far more tasteful red. "I didn't realise this was a fashion show."

Faith finished lacing her boots and snatched up a green woollen hat. She planted it securely on Willow's head, pulling it snug down over the redhead's ears.

"There, matches your eyes…lovely," Faith commented as though that was the end of the matter, she then moved to pick up Willow's pack and motioned for her to turn around so she could help her into it.

Clearly Faith intended to set out immediately despite their exhaustion and while Willow knew time was against them, she was sure she would collapse less than half way up the mountain.

"Have you done this before?" Willow asked gingerly as Faith helped her slip the heavy pack on her back, carabinas and ropes dangled against her legs.

"I'm not an expert…but I'm sure I can get us up there safely…I'm more concerned about wherever 'there' might be," Faith pulled Willow's straps tightly across her chest. "You will recognise the place won't you?"

Willow glanced up at the peak in the distance and shuddered involuntarily. Aoraki/Mount Cook, at over 12,000 feet high, was the highest mountain in New Zealand. It was also 12,000 feet higher than any mountain she had ever climbed. She thought back to her dream and the nightmarish sounds of the wind howling through that icy cave where the coven had told her the sword was to be found.

"I'll recognise it, I don't know how to find it…but I'll recognise it," Willow shivered as she said it.

* * *

Willow stumbled. She went face first into the wet snow and ice that was beneath her and lay there for a few moments despite the icy wetness creeping through her clothing to her skin. Already frozen to the bone, Willow couldn't care less about lying in the snow as she felt she could not possibly get colder than she already was. It was only Faith's strong grip beneath her armpits that succeeded in heaving her back to her feet. A ruddy cheeked Faith stood in front of Willow and brushed off the loose snow from her clothing with a gloved hand.

Willow nodded her thanks and propelled Faith forward with a slight push on her pack. She knew Faith was only stopping out of concern for her, but this was not a time to keep to the pace of the slowest person. It was a time to push on to the very limit of endurance. The lives of their friends and family were at stake.

They had been pushing through tundra, ice-covered rock, gravel and snow for the better part of twenty-one hours, give or take a few. Each hour seemed the same to Willow apart from the six sleepless hours spent huddled in their alpine tent with stodgy protein bars sitting in their bellies. Faith was growing increasingly tense as to their complete lack of direction but Willow insisted that they weren't directionless - just searching. Every rock, overhang or outcropping seemed familiar but she remembered nothing from her dream until she glanced up at the call of a circling bird high overhead. Willow squinted in the harsh reflected light and stopped walking to stare.

Faith continued on for several metres before glancing over her shoulder to find that Willow had stopped, she turned and trudged back.

"Up there," Willow said simply.

Faith peered in the direction Willow was looking and saw a steep ice bank leading up to a rocky ledge about thirty feet up.

"Are you sure, Will?" Faith began undoing the straps of her backpack. "Because I sure as hell don't want to climb up anywhere to find out I only have to come back down again because you've taken us the wrong fucking way."

"The cave is just past that ledge up there," Willow paused and shrugged. "Okay, I was seeing it from above last time but I'm sure it's the same one. Send me up first if you're-"

"Whoa there, Red," Faith interrupted as she knelt to tighten her crampons. "I haven't brought you all this way for you to break your scrawny little neck. Tara will never forgive me if I bring you back broken."

"I think I'm a little broked already," Willow commented somewhat gratefully.

She stood back and watched Faith begin to work her way up the face using her crampons and ice axes, the Slayer of course making it look all too easy with her methodical movements. All too soon she was up and had a rope secured to give Willow an added measure of security as she ascended. Taking her own ice axes, Willow began a far less graceful climb to join Faith at the top. She reached out to accept Faith's hand up the final few feet and she found herself standing on the ledge. She was instantly brought back to the faux reality of her dream. She remembered falling off the higher ledge just above the one on which she now stood and landing in soft, fluffy snow. The snow underfoot now was anything but soft, it was frozen and dangerous.

Willow then glanced off to her left where she had seen the coven. There were no elderly ladies standing there now, but there was the gaping black mouth of the cave with its teeth-like icicles almost covering the entrance. It was even more foreboding in reality and she shivered violently.

"You're taking us in there?" Faith asked dubiously, the fact that the Slayer sounded nervous hardly inspired Willow.

Willow nodded and gamely started out towards the entrance. She felt a growing sense of dread with each step she took. A strange impression in the ice at the entrance caught Willow's eye and although it gave her the heebie-jeebies to be anywhere near that dark, gaping hole, she hunkered down to get a better look. In front of her were a series of perfectly frozen footprints making their way towards the cave and then stopping abruptly. She reached out and traced the one nearest to her. Willow remembered standing in front of the cave in her dream with bare feet and wearing nothing but her snoopy pyjamas. The footprints looked to be about her size.

A shadow fell over the footprints and Willow realised Faith was standing over her shoulder, no doubt wondering what had captured Willow's attention.

"Am I dreaming, Faith?" Willow asked quietly as she rose to her feet and turned to face her friend.

Willow met Faith's confused expression for a few moments before searching the surrounding snow, half expecting to see a whole series of footprints indicating where the coven had stood in her dream. Faith was well used to Willow's odd comments and she immediately slapped Willow hard across her cheek to prove her point. A red flush spreading across her cheek, Willow turned to glare at Faith.

"No, you're not," Faith replied. "And if this was a dream then you can bet you'd be standing here by yourself. I'd be somewhere in Australia playing beach volleyball with hot, sun-tanned chicks in bikinis."

Still pissed at being slapped, Willow did not appear to be amused by Faith's flippant comment. She turned her back on the Slayer and alternated between staring at the cave's entrance and her own frozen footprints.

"Sorry Will," Faith slapped Willow on the back. "You could join me in Australia. I'm sure dreaming about playing beach volleyball doesn't count as cheating on Tara."

"I'd hope that Tara would be one of the hot chicks wearing a bikini," Willow replied with her best attempt at levity, trying to imagine that sun drenched scene in her mind.

That beach in Australia was a far cry from the alpine wilderness in which the pair now found themselves. They managed to smile at one another before strapping on the helmets they both carried and switching on the little LED lights affixed to the front.

"All go?" Faith lightly whacked the top of Willow's helmet.

Willow nodded - mindless babble concealing her absolute terror. "I've always wanted to wear one of these - although I never imagined actually wearing it into a cave…even though that's what you use them for of course. I kinda thought I'd wear it around the house, all those night time trips to the refrigerator where you risk a nasty accident falling down the stairs."

Faith began by hacking away several of the icicles that covered the entrance, creating a hole big enough for the two of them to enter. Willow winced with each hack at the ice, as though they were wounding a creature rather than mere frozen water. Even the wind seemed to howl with anger, whipping past their bodies. Faith seemed to have overcome her early nervousness and entered without pausing, her backpack scraping against the ice. Willow followed as Faith disappeared within the cave, a few moments later the beam of her headlamp picked her out continuing carefully into the cave. It became clear that the cave mouth gradually became a tunnel stretching downwards towards the heart of the mountain. Willow was too exhausted to babble further and they descended in relative silence save for their combined hoarse breathing, crunching footsteps and the constant trickle of running water. All too soon the cave mouth was a distant prick of light behind them. They rounded a corner and it was gone altogether. Pitch blackness stretched out on all sides of the feeble light emitted by their two helmet lights. Faith paused momentarily to scratch a direction marker on the wall with a thick piece of chalk.

As Willow walked she began to feel at the tips of her fingers and toes burn painfully, as cold limbs did when they were warmed. She brushed it off, thinking that the air inside the cave was warmer than out. The burning gradually gave way to comfortable warmth that continued to spread throughout her body. It was a marked change from the mind numbing cold she had experience during their trek up the mountain. Willow gratefully gave herself over to the warmth and in her exhaustion she did not dwell on it. She continued plodding down the tunnel after Faith.

"It's fucking freezing in here!" Faith gasped after almost half an hour of silence. She glanced over her shoulder at Willow.

Willow noticed the almost blue tinge to the skin of Faith's face and the heavy mist that issued from her mouth each time she drew a breath. While her own breath frosted in front of her face, Willow felt her cheeks to be quite warm. Faith must have noticed too as she stopped to look Willow up and down, checking her for signs of fatigue. As Willow drew to a halt she was reminded just how exhausted she was, but her body was warm and functioning well.

"You okay?" Faith asked, taking a sip of water before passing the bottle onto Willow.

"My limbs are jelly but the cold's passed," Willow replied after taking a long swig. "Are you sure it's cold in here? I'm actually thinking about taking off my jacket."

Faith peeled off her glove and reached out to cup Willow's cheek, feeling just how warm Willow was for herself. "I'm freezing my arse off and you're almost burning up. Maybe we'd better stop for a rest and check you out properly."

Willow took another sip of water before handing the bottle back to Faith. "I feel fine, seriously. Maybe caving just agrees with me?"

Faith stared at Willow dubiously. "Not likely - I think there might be other forces at play here, magical ones for instance."

As soon as the words were out of Faith's mouth Willow felt sick to her stomach. While the thought had not crossed her mind she now felt that this was because she had subconsciously suppressed it out of fear. With Faith staring at her as though she were about to self-combust, Willow realised that the warmth spreading through her body was akin to that she felt when she embraced the current of power running through her veins. Although this time she was doing nothing to call on it, there were no external factors drawing it out as with the desire to protect Tara from the vamps in the graveyard. It was as though she were being drawn towards something. Experimentally, Willow turned around and retraced her steps. It was imperceptible at first, but with the more steps she took the colder she became. Warmth fled from her fingers and toes all too quickly. When she had gone far enough to confirm her speculation, she gladly returned to Faith's side and felt the welcome warmth flood back into her extremities.

"Magical forces check," Willow stated reluctantly.

"You know you should be going first then don't you?" Faith replied, nodding her head in the direction of the dark tunnel ahead.

Willow exhaled quietly. "What are we waiting for then?"

With hesitant steps at first, Willow started off down the tunnel. As she got used to the sound of Faith's confidant footsteps directly behind, her pace increased. After a while the darkness ahead did not worry her in the slightest. It was simply a case of getting the job done, get the sword and get out again. Once out with the sword was another story altogether and she would worry about that when she came to it.

Willow had lost track of how long she had been leading them when she suddenly lost her sense of direction. She felt cold and yet the tunnel stretched on ahead without branching off and had done so for the past five minutes. Retracing her steps she felt the warmth return but it made no sense. That was until she glanced upwards, the beam of her headlamp shining up a vertical wall. She could just make out a ledge and the darkness of an opening high above. Faith's headlamp was soon shining in the same direction as the Slayer realised where their path lay. Straight up a vertical wall of wet, jagged rock.

"I'll be taking the lead again then?" Faith began stripping off her backpack and outer jacket. "Unless you can suddenly fly?"

Faith re-strapped her insulated climbing gloves one last time before starting up the rock face. With each movement the gear hanging from her harness swayed and rattled. When she had climbed ten feet of the face, she anchored herself with the first of her spring loaded cams, shoving it securely into a likely crack and releasing its trigger. Down below, Willow took up the slack on the rope which connected her to Faith. As with the ice face, Faith made short work of the climb. It was as though she was climbing a ladder instead of vertical rock. Willow continued to stare up at Faith even when all she could see was her light bobbing in the darkness. When it disappeared altogether Willow's blood ran cold.

"Faith!" Willow yelled into the nothingness above her head.

Several faint echoes were all that responded until she saw the glare of a headlamp shining down at her. Squinting up at the light she realised Faith had momentarily disappeared over the ledge.

"Strap yourself in!" Faith called, her voice echoed around the cave.

Willow double checked her harness to confirm that she was ready to climb. "All set, coming up!"

"I'll pull you up!" was Faith's response.

Willow paused on her first handhold and glanced upwards in surprise as though she could see Faith and the determined expression she knew would be on her face.

"You can't pull me!" Willow began to protest before a sudden tug jerked her several feet into the air. "Okay, apparently you can."

After one too many jerky tugs and more than a few painful collisions with the rock face, Willow crawled up over the ledge. She scrambled a safe distance from the edge and collapsed with an exhausted gasp.

"You're tired?" Faith commented acidly. "Spare a thought for the one who had to haul your fat arse all the way up here!"

"You could have made the trip a little smoother!" Willow shot back, unclipping her harness.

Willow reached out a hand to help Faith to her feet and they both peered back down the face they had just come up. Both women were fervently hoping their destination was within reach as their packs remained at the bottom of the rock face.

"If we leave this stuff here for the return trip," Faith indicated the rope and its anchoring cams. "How much have we got left?"

Willow fingered the rope bag dangling from her harness. "Just what's in here."

Faith nodded as though satisfied. "Should be enough - after you, Red."

Allowing her inbuilt homing system to guide them, Willow took the lead once more. The new passage was far narrower and as her beam swayed from side to side over the tunnel interior she noticed that it had a regularity and evenness to it, as though it had been hewn with great determination into the very heart of the rock. When Willow reached out a gloved hand to touch the rock she felt a sudden jolt. After initially snatching her hand away, Willow reached out again and trailed her fingers along the surface. She was prepared for the sudden shock which she now allowed to gradually give way to a crackling energy.

"Red?" Faith asked quietly. "Are you tripping out on me again or what?"

Willow glanced quickly back over her shoulder. "No, it's just that…don't worry, it's stupid."

Faith then reached out and grabbed Willow by the elbow, pulling her back a few steps so they were walking side by side.

"Bullshit!" Faith hissed in Willow's ear. "Nothing you're going through is stupid!"

"What's happening to me is stupid!" Willow shot back before biting her lip to halt the rash flow of words, she sighed in exasperation and continued, "I'm a cop, that's all I ever wanted to be. Buffy and I working as a team, actually doing something that made a real difference in the world. Now Buffy's dead and I find myself right smack in the middle of something huge that threatens the people I've come to love most in the world. Not to mention the fact that I've gone from being a model of self-control and sanity to this freak who doesn't understand and can't use all these powers running through her body."

The last few words burst like a torrent from Willow's lips, seeming to confirm her self-confessed loss of sanity. Faith however, was not concerned in the slightest at being hundreds of metres underground with someone on the verge of suffering a breakdown.

She simply shrugged and deadpanned. "That sucks."

Willow glanced across at Faith and realised that the two simple words summed everything up rather nicely. Their simplicity also made her tirade seem foolish and pointless.

"You were about to say something before you started out on your little self-pitying episode and I'm just dying to hear what it was," Faith added.

Willow managed a ghost of a smile and resumed trailing her hand along the sides of the tunnel. Faith thought her face seemed more than a little pale in the strange light of their headlamps.

"It feels as though I know this place," Willow replied, continuing to feel some sort of energy flow through her gloved fingers.

As she walked, keeping in contact with the wall, Willow realised that the feeling emanating from the walls had changed from being an electrical shock to something that was almost comforting. Keeping her hand on the wall made her feel a little safer and not so lost.

"Like you knew where to find the cave?" Faith asked as she dropped back into place behind Willow. "Because you'd been here in your dream?"

In the light of her headlamp, she watched Willow shake in her head slowly. Faith also noticed that Willow's pace had increased as her steps became more confident. She seemed to plant each foot on the floor of the tunnel as though she had already travelled the same path many times.

"It's different, I know I've never been here - dreaming or otherwise and yet I feel each drop of sweat that it took to build this tunnel," Willow mused, casting her eyes over every facet of the tunnel's surface as she walked. "It was a labour of love but it's clouded by an overwhelming sensation of grief. Whoever made this tunnel suffered greatly."

"Lovely," Faith commented sarcastically. "Then they could have made it a lot shorter."

The Slayer glanced down and saw her bootlace had become undone at some point and she knelt to retie it. Willow heard Faith stop to tie up her shoelace but continued walking, knowing she would not be far behind. Her light showed the tunnel broadening just ahead and it wasn't until she had travelled a few more metres that she realised it had ended and another chamber began. If there had been any doubt about the man-made nature of the tunnel's construction, the chiselled steps that Willow now had to step down erased it completely. Just four steps led to the floor of what appeared to be a semi-spherical chamber, the walls tapering up smoothly to meet several metres above Willow's head. Bouncing lightly off the last step, Willow crossed the floor to stand directly in the centre. Her light shone in every direction but all she could see was solid stone. There was no continuation of the tunnel, nor any other opening. She turned back to see Faith standing on the top step and threw up her hands in exasperation.

"This is one big frilly nightmare!" Willow spun around on the spot and stopped when she was facing Faith once more with a confused expression on her face. "Climb mountain, check, enter cave that looks like the mouth of hell…check…follow magical forces, check, so where's the exit?"

"You might be standing on it, Red," Faith indicated downwards with a nod of her head, almost laughing at Willow's little checklist.

"What?" Willow glanced at the stone floor beneath her feet.

At first Willow noticed nothing but rock, until she realised that there were lines etched beneath her feet. She twirled around once more although this time with her light shining downwards so she could make out the circular pattern surrounding her.

"Symbols," Willow whispered, recognising them instantly as being very similar to the ones which had baffled her and Buffy during their first introduction to the Society and led to her meeting with Tara.

It had been the first day of the rest of her life. Willow fell to her hands and knees and traced her gloved hand around the ice-encrusted symbol beneath her.

Faith was trying to ignore the foreboding chills running down her spine when she thought she saw a glint of light radiate outwards from where Willow was crouched. Seconds later it happened again and this time she clearly saw a pale blue light dart out from beneath Willow. The light flooded outwards, tracing each of the lines and symbols that made up the pattern spreading across the chamber floor. It continued to radiate, pulsing outwards until each of the symbols and interlocking lines were glowing. The chamber was filled with an eerie, pale blue light.

"Ah, Red," Faith began slowly, thinking that surely Willow would have noticed the glow all around her.

It was only when Willow lifted her head to look at Faith that she noticed.

"Did I do that?" Willow asked hesitantly. "Faith?"

"Um, I think it might be best if you hopped off the big, glowing circle," Faith suggested quickly, motioning with her hand.

Willow began to stand and added, "In the movies it always seems to be about now that the floor gives away."

It all happened in two thunderous seconds, stopping Willow in mid-sentence and throwing Faith backwards off her feet. The sound of cracking and falling rock filled her head and reverberated throughout her entire body. It felt as though her bones were going to jar right out of her skin. She wrapped her arms over her head as showers of dust, grit and rock shards burst over her. The rocks had barely stopped falling when Faith rolled over and stared where Willow had been half-standing in the middle of the glowing symbols only moments before. The light of her headlamp revealed nothing but swirling clouds of dust billowing from the chamber where the floor had collapsed. The noise died shortly afterwards and was replaced by the shifting and grinding of rocks every few seconds as they settled wherever they had fallen. Faith judged that the shaft was not deep and she confirmed it for herself when she made her way to the edge and peered down. At first she saw nothing but the infernal swirling dust, however, as it settled she made out some of the rubble lying about forty feet down below.

"Hey, Red!" Faith croaked, feeling the icy dust clogging her throat. "Red! You down there?"

Her own echo answered with the same question and she angrily slammed her fist into the rock beside her. Faith knew exactly what she wanted to blame for the floor collapsing; it was the damn mountain itself. It had lured Willow to this point and swallowed her whole. She peered over the edge once again to see the sides of the shaft had an almost smooth finish with no fissures or protrusions to suggest the possibility of climbing down without rope…and all their remaining rope was at the bottom of the shaft with Willow.

"You want the rope don't you?" an incredibly faint voice called from down below, mimicking Faith's own thoughts.

Faith knelt down on the edge of the shaft with her light straining through the darkness to try and pick out Willow. "Rope would help. I knew I shouldn't have left the bag with you, you clumsy oaf! Are you hurt?"

There she was. Faith could only just pick out Willow's yellow climbing jacket in the midst of the gloom below. She appeared to be lying on her back atop the rubble. Given the distance and the dust, she could not tell if the other woman was injured.

Willow was lying on her back, spreadeagled but almost cushioned by the rocks beneath her. She tested her limbs one by one to find that each still worked reasonably well, if a little bruised and stiff. Faith's light was almost a pinprick high above and it was only when she rose into a sitting position that she realised her own headlamp was no longer working. The light from above barely illuminated her immediate surroundings and she found herself staring out at nothing but darkness. Anything could have been out there.

"Nothing broke…I think!" Willow called back, eyes darting nervously from left to right to scan the darkness.

"Stay put!" Faith called down from above. "I'm going back for that rope!"

The pathetic light shining from above disappeared and Willow's world disappeared into pitch black. She was left sitting with only the sound of her own breathing and the occasional shifting of rock. After a few moments she was calm enough to pay attention to her surroundings, or at least what she could sense of them. Now that most of the dust had settled, Willow could smell the air and found it musty as though the chamber had been sealed off for a long time. She also had the feeling that whatever space was out there in the darkness, it was not massive.

The sensations that had coursed through her body as she followed the tunnel, and the earlier warmth she had felt, had disappeared altogether. She figured that it either meant she had found what she was searching for…or had lost it altogether. Without waiting for Faith, Willow began making a few exploratory movements to test the rock beneath her. However, the fact that she could move meant absolutely nothing if she could not see. Willow removed her helmet and experimentally poked at her headlamp, her fingers ran across sharp broken plastic and she realised that it had smashed.

"C'mon, Will, you're all down with this magic stuff. You just need a little light," Willow whispered to herself. _Great, I think the dark is driving me nuts already…talking to myself_. "But light is good…what in the frilly heck would the spell for light be?"

Willow clicked her fingers and of course nothing happened. She ran through a host of silly little phrases more for the purposes of hearing the sound of her own voice than actually trying to work some sort of light spell. It was only when she half-heartedly said, 'Illumé,' that something happened. All of a sudden Willow noticed her hand was glowing a rather vibrant gold, steadily increasing in intensity. She yelped in surprise and shook her hand as though it was on fire before she realised that she could see. Willow exhaled loudly and held out her hand palm upwards. She now had to advert her eyes from the light it shone that strongly. A few moments later she saw out of the corner of her eye that the light had risen up from her hand and was forming into a hovering ball. Hesitantly, she withdrew her hand and the ball continued to hover unsupported.

Able to turn her attentions away from the ball, Willow took in her surroundings. She already knew that she was sitting on a large pile of rock so that was no surprise, she was more interested in what lay beyond. Cautiously, she rose to her feet and balanced herself from rock to rock as the glowing orb bobbed along just above her shoulder. Willow jumped down onto the uncovered cave floor and started moving forward. As she did she saw cave walls hemming in on either side but the way forward stretched into blackness.

Willow stopped and glanced back with the thought that she ought to wait for Faith. However, the compulsion to keep going was strong and she gave into it, knowing Faith would follow as quickly as possible. So she started out alone with only the strange golden light to keep her company. It bobbed along, illuminating each section of the cave wall as she walked. At first it was just bare, unadorned rock identical to that which she and Faith had travelled through earlier. Then the inscriptions began. What began as mere lines soon evolved into the same complex symbols on the collapsed cave floor. Although she knew she would not be tempted to touch them in a hurry, Willow folded her arms just to make sure.

The light began to reflect off a wall up ahead, the end of the short tunnel. The first thing Willow's eyes fell upon after the wall, was a dark shape huddled against a stone table in the centre of the tunnel. She froze, her last footstep remaining half-completed. To her horror the globe did not stop.

"Oy, you, come back here!" Willow hissed angrily as though it were a dog or a child.

Oblivious to Willow's commands, the orb did not stop until it hovered directly over the stone table. Willow's eyes picked up the glint of metal but it was concealed by the shape huddled over it. With the light above it, Willow could clearly see that it was a person, or at least something that looked very much like a person, kneeling on the floor with their head and arms resting on the table in front of them. Whoever it was, was clad in a long cape of scarlet dyed fur that fell in folds down over their body before fanning out on the cave floor around them. The hood was left folded back, away from the head to reveal blonde hair that shone like spun gold in the light of the orb. The hair instantly reminded Willow of-

"Tara," the whispered word filled the chamber.

Willow's mind raced, she knew for certain that Tara was safe in a hospital thousands of miles away…or was she? Before she knew quite what she was doing, she had crossed the distance that separated her from the kneeling figure. As she approached, her nostrils were assaulted by the smell of decay and she cringed back slightly. It was a person - or rather it had been a person a long time ago. Now it was a skull with a few clinging leathery skin remnants. The chin was resting on sleeves with bony hands protruding from the cuffs. The hair which had seemed so vibrant beneath the golden light was like dull straw. Willow stood, transfixed, unable to tear her eyes away from whoever it was that had died down here, alone and in the dark. The bones themselves did not unnerve her, their location did.

In death the arms lay across the sword that Willow sought, its blade also dulled with age and neglect. Even though the sword was the object she had come to claim, her eyes were drawn to something else, a small object trapped within the cage of bones that had once been a hand. Willow knelt closer to clearly make out the tarnished gold piece of jewellery that this person had held in death. Gingerly, she reached out but stopped just short of touching the bones. Curiosity compelled her and she moved again, this time picking the item out from beneath the fingers with careful movements. Her skin brushed against the bone and she jerked, feeling the same shock that she had felt in the tunnel. Willow snatched the object out from beneath the bones, tearing a few loose in the process, and scrambled backwards.

"Sorry!" she whispered with a grimace.

She half expected something awful to befall her for disturbing what had been a peaceful slumber but there was only the sound of her own breathing and a gentle hum thrumming from the golden orb. The object felt heavy in her hand as she lifted it to get a better look. It was a locket which had at one stage been worn around someone's neck. Rolling it around in her palm, feeling it's minutely decorated surface, Willow instinctively knew that it had been cherished. As she pulled apart the two halves she felt as though she were intruding on something intensely private. She could have heard a pin drop when she saw the miniature picture held inside, her own breathing had stopped altogether.

"Hello me," Willow commented after she finally managed a breath.

It was as though she were looking at a picture of herself - if she had ever had black hair. Features identical to her own stared back at her from the tiny painting, cracked with age. On the opposite side was an inscription, she passed her thumb across it and read,

_My dearest M_

_I will love you forever_

_A_

She was still staring at it, wondering who the dead woman was when footsteps behind her nearly had her jumping out of her skin. Willow spun around to see Faith emerging from the shadows at a sprint. Relief was clearly spelt out in the Slayer's expression.

"Willow Rosenberg, bloody hell!" Faith grabbed Willow by both shoulders as though to check that she were really there. "I told you to stay put. When I last checked the definition of staying put did not include charging off alone!"

"Faith I'm sorry, but look at this," Willow passed the open locket to Faith. "It's me, I mean, it's not really me because it's super old but it looks like me."

Faith stared at the picture inside the locket and her eyes widened slightly in surprise and she shrugged. "Yeah, looks a little like you I guess."

"I wonder who she was," Willow mused absently. "She certainly had good taste in women."

"Where did you get it?" Faith's eyes narrowed at Willow and she glanced at the skeleton kneeling at their feet. "You touched something didn't you? First you go charging off alone and then you touch something! You're supposed to be a detective!"

"It's not a crime scene, Faith" Willow snatched the locket back from the Slayer's hand and turned her attention to the sword lying protected beneath the arms of the skeleton. "Don't you see, it's been waiting for us…for me. I can't stand the thought of any more kids dying because of my indecision and helplessness. I'm going to get the damn sword and put an end to this whole business once and for all."

Faith cocked an eyebrow as Willow shoved the locket into her jacket pocket and turned to face the sword. It was only now that she actually took a good look at what she could see of the weapon that was the reason for their journey. From what she could see, the sword was unremarkable to say the least. Willow wasn't sure what she had been expecting it to look like but it was something a little grander than the plain, dull blade with its simple hilt and helve covered in scraps of leather. Tentatively she reached down and wrapped her hand around the helve, taking up a secure grip as she prepared to draw it out from beneath the bones that covered it.

"Red," Faith growled warningly, she eyed the seemingly inert sword even as Willow began to slide it out with a single-minded determination.

The sword emerged with a soft grinding sound as it slid along the rock, the bones shifted slightly as the object was removed from beneath them. As the entire length of the blade emerged, Willow lifted it away from the table and held it in front of her. As far as swords went, it was slender and short, not at all like the hefty that movie stars appeared to wield with such ease. Willow's own small hand gripped it easily, the helve appearing to have been made with her in mind. She turned it over to look at both sides of the double-edged blade but they were identical, dull, unpolished steel.

"This is it I guess," Willow stated simply, she had expected the sword to react much in the same way as the locket or the tunnel walls but she felt absolutely nothing.

"Great, let's get out of here," Faith announced in a relieved voice.

Willow nodded, still staring at the sword. "Yeah, with you on that one."

Willow was about to slide the dull sword into the waist band of her harness. As she rolled her hand over while holding the sword she noticed something odd on the back of her hand. In the golden light of the orb she saw something crawling beneath her skin. She realised it was the blood flowing through her veins gradually becoming black. It spread slowly from her fingers to the back of her hand. Willow turned her hand over and saw it continue up her wrist and, after shoving back her sleeve, up her inner arm.

Faith noticed Willow's movements and leaned closer to see what was happening, her response was immediate, "I think you should put the sword down."

"Great idea…but I can't!" Willow found her fingers unco-operative. They simply would not unclench from their grip on the sword.

Willow could not see past the skin on her inner arm but she now felt it. She could feel a deep crawling sensation moving quickly up her right arm. As soon as it hit her shoulder and spread across to her chest, Willow felt an agonising pain throughout her entire body. Her head tipped backwards as she tried to scream but no sound came out. She felt someone's hands on her own, trying to prise open the fingers that gripped the sword so tightly. Then they were gone. The light of the orb seemed to fill her vision to the point where she could see nothing else, the ceiling of the cave was gone and she felt herself move without ever leaving the spot on which she stood.

Faith had watched as Willow's body went rigid. She could tell the redhead was in pain and made up her mind to reach out and try to forcibly separate Willow from the sword. Leaping forward, Faith had wrapped both her hands around Willow's. Her own fingers tried to force Willow's open. Faith had been struggling in vain for a mere second when she felt a current ran through her body and deliver a massive shock. Her body had been torn away from Willow and hurled backwards several metres. The Slayer then hit the wall hard head first and slumped to the floor unconscious.

Faith came to a few moments later with her head thudding painfully inside her helmet. She immediately noticed that the only light in the cavern was her headlamp. The golden orb was gone and so was Willow.


	21. All Fall Down

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE **  
**All Fall Down**

The light had been unbearable, filling first her vision, then her mind and finally every pore of her body. This was Willow's first thought as she struggled back to reality…although that little detail was being debated in the fuzz that served as her mind, she wasn't actually sure it was reality she was returning to. Was death a reality? As she began to fell solid ground beneath her body, grit beneath her fingernails and something warm lying in her palm, Willow gradually began to accept that it was a reality of sorts. Although whether it was the one she was supposed to be in, she could not yet tell. She tried to move and managed a spasmodic jerk of all her limbs at once and her fingers tightened around whatever the object was in her palm. That one point of contact felt safe and secure and she seized on it, holding onto the surface as though her life depended on it.

"Okay…mucho ouchness," Willow mumbled, satisfied when her lips moved and sound actually emerged.

Her voice sounded a little odd to her own ears, thick and heavy with something. Although she thought that could perhaps be her brain trying to interpret sound as nothing seemed to be working as it should. All she could remember was the light, there was nothing else at first. Just light…Willow felt her brow furrow and she knew she was trying to get her brain to function again. There had been something else other than the light - darkness? There it was - a creeping, crawling darkness that had taken over her body like a parasite. It swarmed through her veins.

Willow's body snapped into a sitting position in one awkward jerk, something metallic clattered to the ground and its sound echoed around the room she was in. There were lights and walls but Willow was aware of none of this as her fingers frantically dug at the cuff of her jacket, trying to pull the sleeve up her arm. She drew it back to reveal her pale arm covered in black lines…her veins as black as night. In a panic, Willow examined the backs of her hands, her other arm, and even rolled up her trousers to examine both legs, Covering every inch of visible skin were the same awful black veins that she had found on her arm.

"Not so good…" Willow whispered. "Okay, something freaky is going on. No shit, Willow. Hey, Willow! At least I can remember my own name."

She spoke not out of necessity but to hear something familiar, the sound of her own voice. It calmed her somewhat as it echoed off what she now saw to be sterile looking walls. They were simple, modern, like you would find in any house, complete with bland wallpaper that she recognised from her mother's sewing room. Electric light fittings hung down from the ceiling, throwing the whole room into a comfortable light glow. Willow glanced down and laid eyes on what it was she had been holding in her palm. It was a small sword with a blade of a dull, seemingly unpolished metal. Willow immediately thought it looked like a piece of junk but when she tentatively reached out and placed her palm on the hilt she felt a jolt run through her body. What had previously appeared to be a piece of junk now felt alive her in hand. She wrapped her fingers around the hilt and lifted it from the ground. It fit her palm perfectly, as though it were made for her.

"Huh!" Willow exclaimed as she wondered how she ever came to be the owner of a sword. "I don't feel like Xena." _So I remember my own name and that I like Xena Warrior Princess. _The thought of Xena's muscular thighs and ample cleavage stirred something in the pit of her stomach...and a little lower. Her overactive brain added, _and I think I'm kinda gay._

She had no qualms whatsoever about using the sword as a tool to lever herself up onto her feet. Once there, she remained in a hunched position to keep her head closer to the ground for a few moments longer. When she became sure that her legs could support her weight, she straightened fully upright. Willow then flexed her creaking body, feeling aching muscles stretch and rusty body parts move for what felt like the first time in years.

There was a plain, ordinary door set into the wall in front of her. Rather than head straight for it, Willow turned around to face the opposite direction. Her jaw dropped. Whereas three walls in the room were taken straight from any house she had ever been in, the fourth was strange beyond measure. It was a dark rock face, although smooth rather than the jagged forms of nature. Instinctively, Willow strode forward and touched the black surface with trembling fingertips. It was cold to the touch, as she expected it to be. Set into the very centre of the polished rock wall, was a door. Its frame was of the same stone as the wall, although cut and dressed rather than merely polished. For some reason Willow recognised the symbols that were inscribed around the door frame, each was deeply cut as though they went to the very heart of the rock. Whereas the door in the wall behind her was closed, this one was fully open. Shafts of light poured into the room that lay beyond, although without moving forward she could make out very little that lay within.

Feeling distinctly uneasy, Willow continued forward into the chamber. As she crossed the room's threshold she felt a sensation akin to a thousand tiny pinpricks all over her skin. The sword in her hand seemed to protest at being taken into the room, although Willow refused to believe that a sword could seem to be aware of its surroundings. The symbols continued into the small chamber.

Willow shuddered as she realised she was walking into a tomb. The long oblong shape on the platform in front of her was a coffin. Its lid was ajar. Her mind screamed at her to leave the tomb but something compelled her forward, she had to look in the coffin. Willow's trembling legs carried her to the platform and she reached out to grip the sides in case she felt the urge to turn and run. She made her next movement as quickly as possible, jerking herself forward so she could peer over the coffin's lid. It was empty.

Willow breathed a sigh of relief, she didn't know if she fully expected to see something contained within or not. She just knew that there was absolutely nothing in the black stone coffin, not even a lining. Her fingers instinctively reached out to touch the smooth stone at the base. As the stone came into contact with the pads of her fingers she remembered something further…although could not be certain whether it was truth or just some strange fiction her imagination had concocted. Willow remembered being in the coffin, she remembered being sealed up within that plain stone box. With her eyes closed she could see everything in a dim haze. She was thrashing against some unseen force, struggling to get out of the coffin because she knew exactly what was about to happen. There were faces staring down at her, seven of them. All except one were wearing cold, impassive expressions. They were focused in grim determination. The final face, belonging to that of a young blonde woman, was wet with tears. Willow felt an eerie familiarity at the memory of her features. She concentrated harder to dredge up the memory of another face, one similar to the first. She saw blonde hair, blue eyes - a beautiful woman by any stretch of the imagination. There was a family resemblance to the face peering down into the coffin, but no more. As the lid of the coffin ground closed, the faces gradually disappeared. The last thing Willow remembered seeing before the darkness came was the woman's face as she wept.

Unnerved, Willow withdrew her fingers from the base of the coffin and dashed out of the tomb, heart thumping wildly as she did. Emerging back into the light Willow skidded to a halt. The empty room in which she had woken was now filled with half a dozen people. Five of them were non-descript men and women clad in drab brown robes - the sixth was something else altogether. Although Willow was repulsed by his appearance, the familiarity was there again. She knew this pale and wizened man standing before her and she knew him well.

"We're so very glad you could join us, Willow."

He extended his crab-like hand for her to grasp. Willow hesitated, just for a moment. Then she reached out and took his hand.

* * *

As soon as Tara's eyes opened she knew something was not right. She felt sick to her stomach. Where her heart should have been, there was nothing but a gaping hole and it hurt like hell. Tara let out a shallow breath and closed her eyes. Everything was slowly coming back to her in bits and pieces. She felt as though pain and terror were fragments in a puzzle. Although it was a puzzle she did not want to complete, she desperately needed the answers.

There had been a terrible battle at dawn. Tara remembered a last desperate moment of eye contact with Willow before it was just her and the children. Then they had come for the children, the first were easily defeated but a warlock had fought against her with magicks to the point of collapse. Tara felt pain beneath the cast covering her right hand and arm and remembered she had cut her palm as she plunged a shard of glass into his belly. Then there was nothing until Willow and Faith had pulled her from the rubble of the attic - just her alone. The children were gone - Matt, Dawn and Ashley.

With her memories flooding back, Tara's eyes opened and she sat up too fast. Her body protested with spasms of pain and an awful dizziness that left her disorientated in a spinning room. In moments the movement was halted as a strong arm slid around her back to support her. Faith's concerned visage floated into view - solid as a rock, dependable Faith.

The slayer found Tara an extra pillow and lowered her back down, paying extra attention to fluffing the pillows in a most un-Faith-like manner. If Tara did not already sense something was wrong then the look on Faith's face as she stepped back and folded her arms, said it all. Tara had always been able to read Faith's emotion and now barely concealed guilt and sadness were reflected in equal amounts. Knowing something had gone wrong, she fought to keep her voice steady.

"Y-you're b-back," Tara stammered over the obvious statement.

Faith managed an abrupt nod. "I've been travelling non-stop for the past three days and you're damn lucky I managed to have a shower at the airport. It wasn't pretty smell."

"For my sake I hope you managed to get Willow to take one too. There's no way I'm wrapping my arms around a stinky girlfriend."

Tara's voice was so breezy it was clearly forced. As she peered over Faith's shoulder she already knew that her red-haired lover was not there. At that point she already knew that something had happened to Willow, but she needed the words to confirm it.

"You'd wrap your arms around Willow no matter how badly she reeked," Faith replied honestly. _Hell, I'd wrap my arms around Willow if she were here!_

"F-Faith,' Tara whispered, trying to catch the Slayer's eye. "W-where's Willow?"

Faith knew Tara was trying to look at her but she determinedly avoided her friend's gaze and fixed her own on a distant point outside the window.

"Willow's gone," her lips barely moved as she said the words.

Tara's response was angry and immediate. "Why would you say something like that? I'd know if Willow was dead and she's not, she's still alive!"

Tara sat up and wrapped icy fingers around Faith's wrist as the Slayer tried to set her straight. "T, stop…I don't know what happened, she disappeared-"

"Why the fuck did you leave her, Faith?" Tara demanded hoarsely, lifting her uninjured arm and pounding it on Faith's chest. "You know exactly what she's been through, she n-needed you."

As Tara's voice disintegrated into staccato sobbing Faith trapped her balled up fist in her own hand and folded her into a fierce embrace. She stroked the blonde's hair and held her trembling shoulders. Tara's pain brought back all too clearly the expression of terror and helplessness on Willow's face before she had disappeared. Faith remembered trying to pry the sword from Willow's grip and her obvious failure when she woke up alone. At that moment, lying alone in the cave with just her headlamp separating her from the darkness all around, she realised for the first time in her life that Slayer's felt fear. Every instinct had screamed at her to get the hell out of that tomb and back above ground but she had searched those tunnels for Willow to the point of almost losing herself. It was not until her second and last battery was dying, that she allowed herself to leave. Despite all she had done, Faith still felt as though she had failed Tara.

"We've lost them all," Tara whispered brokenly.

Faith drew back slightly. "What do you mean?"

Tara let out a shaky breath. "Spike returned already, he could not find their trail. The children are lost, and now Willow is too."

Things couldn't get much worse.

"Where do we go from here?" Faith was only asking herself, she knew full well that Tara was looking to her for direction and leadership.

The Slayer felt completely and utterly defeated, she had nothing to offer. Her shoulders slumped as she sat on the corner of Tara's hospital bed.

Meanwhile, as she brought herself under control, Tara allowed herself to feel a slight measure of hope, it was miniscule, but it was hope nevertheless. Even though Detective Willow Rosenberg had not long been in her life, she felt as though she knew her…and it went without saying that she trusted her with her life. Despite all that Willow had been through during the past weeks, Tara knew the kind of brave, selfless woman that she was. She knew Willow was not dead, and that meant wherever she was, she would find a way to come back to her.

"We wait," Tara reached out and brushed weak fingers against the side of Faith's face. "We wait for Willow to find herself…and then she'll come for us."

* * *

"I'd give anything for my PSP."

"Uh, hello, earth to Matt…wouldn't you rather get the hell out of here!"

Matt glanced up at Dawn from where he was splayed on a leather couch. He sighed at the stern expression she had fixed on her face and tilted his head backwards so he didn't have to look at her any longer. She was beginning to act far too bossy for his liking…too much like his older sister, and he didn't want a single reminder of that bitch. The three of them, Matt, Dawn and Ashley had been cooped up in one part of what they suspected was a very large house. Matt remembered seeing very little as he was thrown over the back of someone's shoulder and brought into the house after having spent an indeterminate amount of time with the two girls in the back of a windowless van. The whole trip had merged into one indescribable blur with Dawn and Ashley crying, and something very close to sobs coming from his own throat - although he would never admit it.

All three of them had been dumped rather unceremoniously into the small suite of rooms in which they remained nearly four weeks later. There was a living room with a couch, which doubled as Matt's bed, and no TV. Off to one side was a smaller room contained two beds where the girls slept. A tiny bathroom completed the suite. Their only window was set high into the wall in the living room, Matt had lifted himself to peer out once but all he saw was a featureless concrete courtyard. As it turned out they were let out into that courtyard every few days for an hour or so. Each child was beginning to realise just what it was like to be in prison. There was precious little to do other than read the stack of Reader's digest books or play one of two board games – chess or backgammon. None of the three actually knew how to play backgammon.

"Yes!" Matt growled back. "Of course I bloody well want to get out of here."

The tone in his voice caused both Dawn and Ashley to look up at him from where they were seated on the floor playing chess. Ashley had a small stack of Dawn's pieces on the carpet near her knee, while Dawn had one lonely pawn of Ashley's.

"Matt…" Dawn began in the same stern tone she had used earlier.

With a frustrated sigh, Matt sat up and swung his legs off the couch and onto the floor. He put his head in his hands.

"I know, I know…we can't afford to get angry. I've seen the same movies you have and I know exactly what happens when people are cooped up for too long, but I'm starting to think they had no say in whether they went crazy or not," he let out a breath after his speech and rubbed his stomach. "When's dinner anyway, I think they're kinda late today."

Dawn glanced at her watch and then the small slot on the door that opened for three sandwiches and juice boxes at lunchtime. It had remained closed since. "They are late. I'm beginning to think something's up."

Matt moved to the edge of the couch. "Do you think it's time…time for you know what?"

Dawn glared at Matt for a second and then cast a furtive glance in Ashley's direction as though she feared the girl would overhear something to upset her. Rather than be upset, the youngest member of the trio rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I know exactly what you guys are talking about so go ahead and say it," Ashley announced firmly, she let out a sigh when neither of the two teenagers spoke. "You think it might be time to kill us."

Both teenagers appeared exceedingly uncomfortable with the mention of what they had been trying to forget for the past month of their captivity. Ashley merely folded her small arms looked resolutely determined to remain calm. Although beneath the surface she was terrified and longed for the comforting embrace of her mother.

"They might not want to kill us anymore," Dawn offered hopefully. "I mean, it's been this long so perhaps-"

"No," Matt muttered grimly. "They need to kill us…and they will."

"Matt!" Dawn exclaimed, scooting across the chessboard to Ashley's side where she folded the younger girl into her arms. "You needn't say it at all!"

The tiny chess pieces were scattered across the carpet, the game forgotten.

"Why not!" Matt cried, leaping to his feet. "It's the truth…and it's all my fucking sisters fault! I hope she rots in hell!"

Dawn felt Ashley's body tremble in her arms at the sound of Matt's angry words and she smoothed her hair gently, trying to maintain her own crumbling façade even as his words rang in her ears. She knew full well the young man had been struggling to deal with his sister's betrayal from the moment he had overhead the adults talking about it downstairs. He now took to pacing the floor in front of the couch, a moment interrupted as the door swung open to admit more of the brown robed minions who they had all come to loath. Matt's eyes narrowed at the sight of them. Without warning he surged forward at them, fire in his eyes.

"You fucking murderers!" Matt yelled. "I'm gonna-"

His forward movement was arrested abruptly as a familiar face moved through the doorway. He froze before a small smile curled the corners of his mouth. Behind him, both Dawn and Ashley rose to their feet, smiles of their own on their faces. Ashley tore her way out of Dawn's grasp and before she could be stopped, ran across the floor to the figure standing in the doorway.

"Stop!" a single curt word sliced the air.

Ashley could not move, she had been running and suddenly her limbs would no longer work. She was frozen to a single spot, a metre short of the figure she had been running to embrace. With confusion showing clearly on her face she stared at the woman just in front of her and realised that a change had come over her.

"W-Willow?" she asked quietly, a small tremor creeping into her voice. "Willow, what has happened to you?"

The woman she addressed as Willow stared back down at her and Ashley shivered. Her skin was translucent, clearly revealing the black veins that thumped beneath it. They had spread across her face, raised and distorted to completely ruin what had once been beautiful to Ashley's eyes. Willow's own eyes were no longer the emerald green that Ashley remembered so well. She searched in vain for some hint of Willow in those twin black orbs boring a hole into her, but she found absolutely none. There was only a rock-like coldness that sent a terrible chill down her spine. Her once lustrous red hair was no longer. Instead stringy midnight locks framed her white face, falling down over the shoulders of her black leather coat. The coat fell down to the floor, obscuring most of Willow's body but Ashley could still tell her friend had lost too much weight since she had seen her last.

By now both Dawn and Matt were beginning to wonder what the hell had going on. They too had been moving towards Willow but had stopped at the sight of her strange behaviour, completely unlike the friendly detective they had come to know. Her appearance and the fact that she made no move to help them made all three children start to think that something was exceptionally wrong.

"Hello, kids," Willow smiled but it was not friendly.

"Officer Rosenberg?" Matt bravely took a few more steps forward. "Have you come to get us out of here?

Willow's head cocked to one side before she replied cryptically, "In a manner of speaking, yes."

Her arm shot out towards Matt, fingers curled inwards as though she were squeezing something between them. Before he knew quite what was happening Matt found himself lifted a foot into the air. As he glanced down in bewilderment, Willow made a savage 'come here' gesture. Matt's whole body moved swiftly through the air and in seconds he found himself hovering in front of Willow, her fingers squeezing his throat. Before either of the girls could get an inkling of was about to happen, Willow muttered a single word under her breath and Matt went flying backwards. Before he could slam into the wall he screamed once and his entire body vanished in an explosion of white light. Seconds later there was nothing to say the young man had even been in the room at all save an indentation on the couch where he had lain moments earlier.

Ashley and Dawn were struck speechless; their faces twin masks of horror at the sudden end to their companion. When Dawn realised that Willow's gaze had shifted to her, she scrambled behind the couch. Although the look of terror on her face said that she knew it wasn't going to stop Willow from doing to her exactly what she had done to Matt.

"Willow, stop this!" Dawn cried in desperation. "I don't know what the hell has come over you but this isn't you!"

Willow made a sweeping gesture with her arm and the couch flew to one side, smashing partially through the wall and embedding itself there. As the dust swirled, she lifted Dawn as effortlessly as she had lifted Matt and summoned her.

As Willow held her by the throat, Dawn tried to struggle but found her limbs would not work. Out of the corner of her eye she could just see Ashley, still rooted to the same spot with tears running down her pale cheeks. Dawn turned her attention back to the creature that had once been Willow and tried to reason with it.

"You can't kill us like this…the ritual-" Dawn began, referring to the carefully drawn circles that had marked the other murders.

"Ah yes, the ritual," Willow breathed. "An elaborate sham no less, turns out that it was never the seals that were keeping the Darkness at bay…the killings were merely a ruse."

"A ruse for what?" Dawn spluttered, trying to engage Willow in conversation and keep her talking in the vain hope that she would realise what she was doing.

Willow blinked once, slowly, and replied in a quiet voice, "My dear, Dawnie, I suppose I can tell you since you're about to leave us."

With that she drew Dawn closer, close enough to whisper in her ear. No one else in the room could hear the words passed between the two women. As Willow's lips moved, Dawn's eyes widened, almost bulging out of their sockets. Her lip trembled as her face drained completely of all colour. Whatever words passed between them, it was clear they were not easy to hear. Finished, Willow held Dawn at arm's length. She regarded her closely as one would look at an insect about to be squashed.

"Goodbye, Dawnie," she whispered through a toothy smile. "Say hi to Matt for me."

"Willow, no!" Dawn screamed but it was all she had time to say before Willow threw her backwards.

A split second later Dawn disappeared amidst the same golden light that had claimed Matt. One moment she was there…and then her body was gone. Her shrill scream was cut off abruptly.

Her body disappeared and Willow was left standing in the room with the two henchmen on either side of her and little Ashley standing to one side. The girl was sobbing openly, her blue eyes already red-rimmed. She was shaking her head slowly as though she refused to believe what she had just witnessed.

Willow moved the few steps it took to reach Ashley's side and hunkered down slightly so she could look her in the eye. Ashley tried to shrink away from the woman but of course she could not move any part of her body save her head. So while her chin tilted to the side and she managed to turn her face away, the rest of her body remained rooted to that one spot. She felt icy cold fingers wrap around her chin and wrench her gaze forwards even as she struggled against the grip.

With it being clear that she would be forced to look at the woman standing in front of her, Ashley tried defiantly to hold back her tears. She succeeded only after a lengthy sniff which left her nose rather sore. Willow seemed to find it funny and a small smile played with her cracked, white lips.

"Are you going to kill me too?" Ashley asked quietly, her voice breaking only at the end.

Willow shook her head slowly. "No, sweetie, I need to keep you close."

"Why?" Ashley did not like the sound of Willow's voice, it scared her to no end.

Willow smirked, as though anticipating something gloriously fun to come. "I'm keeping you close so that when your Mommy comes, which she will of course, I'll have something to hurt her with."

"Me," Ashley whispered in disbelief. "Why would you want to hurt my Mom?"

Willow's smirk broke into outright laughter, laughter like a small child who had been given far too many toys all at once.

"Because it's wrong," Willow whispered.

From the tone of her voice, Ashley knew that this Willow didn't think it was very wrong at all.


	22. Heart of Darkness

**Chapter Twenty-Two  
Heart of Darkness**

Tara Maclay's eyes snapped open. Each breath emerged in short panicked gasps that did not subside until she took notice of her surroundings. She realised she was safe in her own room above the Magic Box. Her eyelids slid closed once more and she settled into a relaxed state of mind, half listening out for the sounds of Ashley playing or Faith practising in the training room directly beneath her bedroom. She heard neither but was not overly concerned, trying to remember whether Faith said she was taking Ashley to the movies as it was Saturday afternoon. Tara opened her eyes once again…was it Saturday afternoon? She glanced across at the clock sitting on the bedside table, it was five in the evening and she wondered why on earth she was in bed at that odd hour. It was when she tried to rise from her pillow a few moments later than she realised why. Her head spun uncontrollably as soon as she lifted it from the pillow and when she reached up to steady herself she found her hand bound in a fresh, white bandage and her arm was bound in a white cast.

"Ash?" she intended it to resonate throughout the apartment but it came out as a mere croak that did not carry past her room.

Tara awkwardly dragged the covers away from her pyjama clad body and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She was trying to stand when Faith rushed into the room a few moments later. The Slayer was at her side in moments, setting down the axe that had been in her hands before she reached out to steady Tara. Faith arms went around her back as she rose unsteadily to her feet.

"Why do I get the feeling I've been doing a lot of this over the past few weeks?" Tara asked weakly as Faith continued to support her.

"Because you have," Faith replied bluntly. "Every time you wake it's the same - disorientated…loss of short-term memory. I'm worried about you T. It's been five weeks since Ashley and the others were taken and a month since Willow went missing in New Zealand."

"Not exactly easy things to deal with," Tara mumbled. "Can you help me sit down again?"

The sudden flood of awareness almost drove her to her knees; she remembered in crystal clarity that awful early morning battle as she was huddled in the attic with Ashley, Matt and Dawn as the others fought the Society members, then a fight of her own and everything going black as the children were taken from her. More recently, Faith had returned from New Zealand alone, with no clue as to where Willow had gone. Tara sagged, her shoulders drooping, she felt as though everything had been stripped away, everything she held dear and loved.

"Hey, you've got a text…you didn't hear the alert?" Faith commented, hoping to draw Tara's attention back to reality.

The Slayer picked up Tara's slim-line phone that was sitting in its cradle on her bedside table and passed it across. Tara took it numbly, her fingers barely closing to take a hold of it. However, a change came over her face as she glanced down at the small display screen. She then hurriedly flipped it open to read the message.

Faith's eyebrows lifted at the most animated expression on Tara's face she had seen this past month, "Who's it from?"

Tara wordlessly handed the phone to Faith, watching the Slayer's face as she read the message

Faith noted that the caller name came up as 'Officer Rosenberg' – no doubt Tara had not changed the name since their initial meetings when their relationship had been strictly professional.

_Ash & I are ok but need the gang fast, 2648 Grace Road, W_

"Can you help me get dressed?" Tara asked, suddenly discovering that she was capable of standing unaided.

Faith looked on dubiously as Tara crossed the room to stand in front of her wardrobe and began tugging off her pyjamas with some amount of co-ordination. She doubted if it were the same person that had trouble eating her soup just a day earlier. As Tara selected a sports bra and began to awkwardly tug it on, Faith re-read the text message. From the brevity of the message she could not read anything into it.

"You're not seriously planning on just rushing over there are you, T?" Faith demanded as she dropped the phone and moved to help Tara who was struggling to get a tank over her head. "I know Grace Road; it's up in the hills in the middle of fucking nowhere, nothing around for miles except fucking trees. Why on earth would Ash and Willow be there?"

"I don't know," Tara said as her head popped through the hole in her tank top. "But she needs us!"

"If she were really in trouble then how come she's still got her cell phone?" Faith fetched a pair of jeans and an un-ironed shirt from a pile on the floor.

"Faith!" Tara growled, snatching the jeans and shirt from Faith. "It's Willow, what more do you need to know?"

"T, I love you…if you trust Willow on this then I'll trust her too," Faith breathed evenly as though this were a difficult admission for her to make.

Faith sighed as Tara finished dressing herself, although she had to button her shirt and tie the laces on her sneakers. She did not mention that while she would check out the address in Willow's text, she had no intention of actually letting Tara come with her.

* * *

It was a small band of brave souls that drove to the address in Willow's text several hours later. Faith, Spike and Giles were all present with Xander and Anya deemed unfit to take part. Faith had threatened to tie Tara up to prevent her from coming until she realised there was no knot she could tie that the witch could not magically untie.

2648 Grace Road was indeed in the middle of nowhere as Faith had commented to Tara earlier that evening. All four of them felt a rather ominous chill descend when the car ground to a halt and they stepped out. Faith paused in front of the rusted wrought iron gate, hefting her axe onto her shoulder. The others assembled close behind her; all wielding weapons of their own save Tara, who had need of none.

Given the location of the house, it appeared that no one had attempted renovations in about a hundred years. Although there was no doubt that it had at one time been a fairly grand residence, it now appeared to be little more than an overgrown shack. All traces of paint had fled from its exterior, windows were boarded up and those that weren't were devoid of glass. The front door hung off its hinges, wide open…but it was not an inviting picture. There was no trace of life inside or out, no sign of Willow or Ashley.

"Willow! Ash!" Tara was rushing past Faith before the Slayer could make a move to stop her.

"Tara, are you daft?" Faith started after her urgently. "Shut up and stay with us!"

Faith had barely started after Tara when she realised that she was no longer following anyone, the blonde was simply gone. She skidded to a halt, fearing that there was some sort of portal directly in front of her. Behind her Giles and Spike were equally confused.

"Okay, that was unexpected," Spike drawled with unconcealed sarcasm. "What do you expect to happen when you go rushing towards an abandoned building?"

Faith whirled on him to speak out for her friend, "She's distraught, not thinking clearly…you could hardly expect her to do any differently."

"I could expect her not to get us all killed," Spike growled. "Now what do we do?"

"We go in," Giles suggested simply, moving up to stand beside Faith.

Faith nodded in agreement and took a few steps forward until she was around the spot where Tara had disappeared…nothing happened. She continuing walking and found her path clear all the way to the front door. With each step she expected something to happen, Society goons to rush at her with murder in their eyes or the wizened and powerful Bob to appear before them. She almost willed them to come at her…and was disappointed when she entered the house without a single incident. The only sounds she could hear were Giles' hoarse breaths just over her shoulder and three pairs of footsteps on the wooden floorboards.

Spike sighed in exasperation at the deserted house, "What's the bet that they're not anywhere near here and we're going to spend the next hour wandering around an empty house chasing our own shadows."

Faith paused, axe at the ready in her hands, head cocked to one side as though she sensed something within the bowels of the house. "No," she whispered. "They're here…and I think they knew we were coming."

* * *

Tara had been running towards the house and then she found herself running straight at a wall…it was as simple as that. She stopped and knew instantly that she had been transported somewhere else, that much was obvious. An eerie golden light lit the room as she spun around to survey her surroundings. Concrete walls stretched in every direction, there were no doors or windows that she could see but the room was saturated with magicks. One obvious source was the floating golden orb in the middle of the room at ceiling height. Directly beneath the orb was a wrong iron bed with an old fashioned feather mattress. Tara did not approach it; instead she closed her eyes, feeling for a way out.

"There's no way out...unless of course you're me," a voice whispered directly in her ear.

Tara spun at the sound of the all too familiar voice, the beginnings of a smile emerging on her face. While the voice had whispered in her ear…the accompanying person was standing on the other side of the room. Tara's smile froze, half-completed when it turned out to be someone quite different from who she was expecting. She knew immediately that it was Willow…but something had happened to the red head she loved, something that made the hairs on the back of Tara's neck stand up as she approached. A few moments later, she realised that she had actually been backing away from her lover as though she could not bear to have her come any closer. There was very little trace of the good-natured redhead she had come to love in such a short space of time. Her hair, her eyes, even every scrap of clothing she wore, it was all black.

Willow did not seem to notice Tara's odd reaction to her presence as she moved to stand in front of her; instead she stared down at Tara's injured hand, not taking her eyes off it, even to look up into Tara's own eyes. She reached Tara's side and gently picked up the cast-covered hand by the wrist. Tara winced at first but moments later the pain was gone. She flexed her fingers experimentally to find everything working perfectly. It was proven when Willow pulled apart the cast and she found her arm as good as new.

"Will." It was all Tara could manage, especially when her lover finally lifted her head and stared directly at her with her disconcerting black gaze.

While Tara could not manage a smile, Willow had no trouble at all. She flashed Tara a dazzling white grin, seemingly quite pleased with her display of control.

"Pesky cast aside," Willow tossed the remnants of Tara's cast to the ground. "Much better."

"Will, what are you doing?" Tara whispered, her legs turning to jelly at Willow's firm touch on her body after over a month of separation. "This is not the time. We need to-"

Willow responded by biting down hard on Tara's neck and continuing to roam over Tara's body with her hands, cupping her arse to pull their bodies together. She thrust her thigh between Tara's, forcing her lover's legs apart in order to grind against her sex. Tara's eyes closed and her lips parted as a small whimper escaped. She had missed Willow's touch.

Even through her jeans Tara could feel Willow's touch arousing her all too quickly, a part of her wanted Willow moving inside her and yet she remained aware of just where they were and what they were supposed to be doing. Ashley was in danger and it seemed all Willow could think about was making love. Tara's eyes remained closed even as one of Willow's hands travelled beneath her shirt and bra to cup her breast and the other worked at the buttons on her jeans. She lost herself in the touch of her lover.

Growing frustrated at the clothing that separated her from Tara's skin, Willow claimed Tara's lips in a savage kiss and brought both hands to the front of Tara's shirt, she ripped open both her shirt and t-shirt with one tug. Willow nudged aside the sports bra Tara wore to bare both of her breasts, smiling with genuine delight as she did so. A whimper escaped Tara's lips as she felt Willow's tongue on her tender flesh, exploring her budding nipple.

While continuing her ministrations on Tara's breasts with her tongue, Willow forced one hand beneath the half open fly of Tara's jeans,

It was at that point that Tara came to her senses; her eyes opened. Willow wasn't thinking about making love - she wanted to fuck her, plain and simple. Everything from the complete lack of tenderness to the urgent manner in which she pawed aside Tara's clothing. While their coupling in the forest the night before the attack had been just as urgent, there had been tenderness and a connection that gave that urgency a sense of beauty. Any traces of that beauty were gone and Tara knew she couldn't give in as this was not the woman she loved.

Tara physically put her hands on Willow and shoved her backwards. Surprised by the sudden act, Willow stumbled and tripped over her own feet before she fell to the ground. With Willow's weight no longer pressing her against the wall, Tara moved away from it and took several quick steps further away from Willow.

Making no move to get up at first, Willow stared up at Tara with the expression of a petulant child thwarted in a game.

"I want you!" Willow growled, slapping the ground impatiently.

"I want you too, Willow," Tara said slowly. "But not now…later, when we're out of here and everyone is safe."

Willow growled again and this time she did get to her feet, although not in the conventional manner. She practically levitated back into a standing position, seeming to expend no effort to do so. Tara whispered a spell to bind her lover but watched hopelessly as it was brushed aside as though it were a gust of air.

"Nothing's gonna work on me, Tara," Willow chided. "I've always had more power than you and now I know how to use every bit of it. You might say I've reached my full potential."

"How?" Tara breathed.

"I've had a little help," Willow admitted with a shrug. "But mostly I'm just fucking powerful…almost a goddess really."

"You're not a goddess, Willow," Tara had backed away from her to the point where she now felt the iron railings of the bed behind her, she know knew exactly why it was there. "You're just a scared little girl-"

Willow flew forward, her body slamming into Tara's with an intensity that knocked the blonde backwards and down onto the bed. Tara hit the mattress hard, hard enough to feel the springs dig into her back. Willow's face was poised inches from her own, the weight of her body pinning her down.

"Who's scared now, Tara?" Willow demanded in disgust. "You always were scared…scared of what I could be, and you never gave yourself up to me as you should, never worshipped me as I deserved!"

With those insanely passionate words, Willow forced Tara's legs open with her thigh and bared her breasts with several urgent tugs. She then began to devour them with her tongue, her hand driving beneath Tara's jeans and underwear to find what she sought. She moved without compassion, not caring that she was hurting her lover. She laughed as Tara cried out when she roughly entered her.

"You're mine, Tara" Willow whispered in her ear as she moved against her.

Summoning every ounce of strength within her, Tara took advantage of a distracted Willow to wrap her up in air and throw her backwards, off her body and several feet away from her. As soon as the weight was gone, she scrambled backwards off the bed, tugging her shirt over her chest.

"Come on, Tara," Willow breathed hoarsely, her need etched on her face. "Just one last fuck for old time's sake…since you're probably not going to want to let me anywhere near you after what I have to do next."

"W-Willow…y-you don't have to do anything save get us the hell out of here…along with the kids," Tara took several more steps backward but Willow moved in time with her, not allowing the gap between them to close.

At the mention of the children a small, rather pleased smile crossed Willow's face and she tilted her head to one side as if remembering a fond memory. The smile and the complete lack of concern drove a stake into Tara's heart, she knew that her Willow was gone; this was a monster that stood in front of her. It wore Willow's body, it had the same lithe curves and that same pointy little chin but the thing that had tried to rape her was not Willow.

A small sob escaped Tara's throat. "Where are the c-children?"

Willow chuckled. "Well, let's just say little Dawnie and Matt won't be joining us today, Ashley will most definitely be joining us."

Tara was struggling to process this information, clearly concerned for all three of the children but Ashley in particular. She implored the Willow-thing with her eyes, searching for any remaining traces of humanity in the hope that it could somehow be persuaded to help her find her daughter.

"Please take me to Ashley," Tara asked desperately. "I need to see her."

The Willow-thing cocked its head to one side as though it was enjoying this display of motherly-love and more importantly the pain that the separation was obviously causing Tara.

"I can take you to your daughter…and your friends," it nodded happily, seemingly having forgotten her thwarted rape attempt as it moved onto a more exciting topic.

Tara screamed as the floor fell away from beneath her feet, she went hurtling downwards at a speed that was surely to result in her instant death. However, as another floor rushed up to meet her she found herself standing as though she had never moved. Dizzy and disorientated, Tara collapsed to her knees. She knelt, breathing heavily for a few seconds, her eyes adjusting to the harsh, bluish light in the room. Someone was calling her name. It was Faith.

Tara glanced upwards and her spirits sank further to see the rest of the gang up against the far wall of the chamber, all restrained by robe-clad Society thugs. The bluish light that lit the room came from at least a dozen orbs floating near the roof. Other than the orbs, the only other feature to note was the elaborately drawn chalk circle near Willow's feet. Tara instantly recognised it for what it was.

She looked back to her friends, Spike hardly needed restraining; he looked as though he needed a hospital slumped and unconscious in the arms of his captor. Faith and Giles still fought, Faith had to be clubbed savagely over the head at the sight of Willow dragging Tara into the room. Even as drops of blood trailed down the side of her face she pulled against her captors grip like a savage dog straining to break free of a leash complete with savage snarling.

"Stop!" Willow growled as one thug moved to deliver a debilitating blow to Faith's head, he paused mid-swing. "I want her conscious to see this. Then you can do whatever you like with her."

Willow motioned a lackey forward with a jerk of her head and he took Tara from her arms, although he hardly needed to do more than seize her firmly by the arm. Tara was led numbly to one side of the room, hardly even caring that the shreds of her ripped shirt were barely hanging on her torso. Faith glanced from Tara and then back to Willow, eyeing the now raven haired woman with barely concealed anger.

"What the fuck have you done, Willow?" she demanded.

Willow stared at Faith as though looking at something rather insignificant and did not reply; instead she turned and made a 'come hither' motion in the direction of one of an adjacent door. The door swung inwards to admit the papery faced old man they had come to know as Bob; however his appearance was not what prodded Tara out of her stupor. The blonde's captor now had to use both hands to restrain her as she surged forward in an attempt to reach the small figure in Bob's grasp.

Ashley immediately made to run towards her mother but Bob seized her by the scruff of her neck, hauling her backwards and off her feet. She kicked uselessly at the air as he held her a few feet off the ground.

"Ash, sweetie are you okay?" Tara asked, still struggling with both arms pinned awkwardly behind her back

The only sound a terrified Ashley could manage was a small sob but she bravely nodded her head.

Willow turned to the figure behind her, balanced on his outstretched palms was the sword she had liberated from the cave in New Zealand. Where the metal had been dull and lifeless before she found it, it now gleamed brilliantly even in the dimly lit chamber. When Willow reached down to pick it up, her fingers wrapping around the hilt in a claw-like motion, it shone even brighter. It seemed to sing as she lifted it from the outstretched palms, holding it out before her for all to see.

"It's a shame that something so beautiful has to be sullied by the blood of a mortal," Willow commented as she ran her thumb the length of the blade.

Her gaze transferred from the blade to Ashley Maclay, who was standing in front of her without flinching. Just a few tears rolled down her small face and she sniffed them back defiantly. Willow smiled at the girl but it was not meant to be reassuring. It was a smile of anticipation…of utter delight at what was about to happen.

While Ashley remained quite still, staring up at Willow, others in the room were less than calm. Faith's angry roars filled the chamber, the Slayer now requiring two thugs to restrain her but even they were showing signs of not being able to maintain their hold on her for much longer. Even Giles was now pinned to the ground by four men in order to prevent him from rushing to the little girl's side.

"Don't you do anything to that kid you fucking psycho!" Faith screamed, lashing out as a third Society goon attempted to stop her from kicking free.

He received a solid thump beneath his jaw for his troubles and went sprawling backwards, seconds later Faith had shrugged one arm free and used it to smash the nose of the man who retained his grip, his hood slipped back and he slumped against the wall behind him. Faith's bid to reach Ashley did not last any longer, even as she begun to move forward to the girl she found all her limbs frozen in mid air. Her eyes burning with intensity, Faith glared at Willow as she struggled. If looks could kill then Willow would have been eviscerated on the spot…as it was, she calmly walked a little closer to Ashley, ignoring Faith's continued shouts. Eventually she made a silencing motion with her hand and when Faith opened her mouth to scream again, no sound emerged. Mute and frozen on the spot, Faith was forced to look on as Willow stood with the sword poised above Ashley's head. Tears escaped from the corners of the Slayer's eyes.

"W-Willow," Tara had remained silent in her struggles until that point, her blue eyes brimming with unshed tears that burnt fiercely. "Willow please, it's Ashley. She's not a seal or anything threatening, she's just Ashley. You don't need to do this."

Willow did not look across at Tara; instead she drew the sword back behind her in preparation to drive it forwards.

"Willow!" Tara cried, now pulling against the man who held her.

"Enough, it ends," Willow whispered, driving the blade forward.

At that precise moment the floating globes of light vanished and threw the entire chamber into pitch darkness. There were few sounds besides a limp scream from Tara and the tortured sound of sharp steel sliding in and then out of soft flesh. There was the soft thump of a body hitting the ground and sharp sobs from Tara. A single org re-formed directly above Willow's head, it's blue light throwing most of her face into shadow as she glanced down at the small body at her feet and then to the sword in her hands.

"Well now," Willow whispered, staring at the blood on her blade. "That was a bit of an anti-climax."

* * *

Following the awful scene they had witnessed, the four remaining captives were ushered rather mutely into a bare concrete room, Faith having to remain frozen throughout the move and Spike being somewhat revived if still a little groggy. The slayer's eyes spoke of the violence she wanted to unleash. With the heavy door slammed shut behind them, Faith's bonds were released and she immediately threw herself against the door, slamming her entire body against it repeatedly, crying out in rage with each collision. Giles and Spike stared at her futile effort, although Spike made one aborted attempt to restrain her and received a sharp jab in the gut for his trouble.

"Faith, the door is solid steel. I think perhaps Tara would have more chance of getting us out," Giles said quietly, even as Faith continued to slam herself against the metal, a jarring noise echoing around the room with each contact.

Giles glanced from Faith to see Tara. The blonde had immediately retreated to a far corner of the room and was curled up into a tight ball, hugging her knees against her chest. Her face betrayed absolutely nothing save an awful blankness, her eyes were empty. Moving carefully and slowly, Giles crossed the floor to hunker down beside her. When he reached out to touch her cheek she jerked her head away at the contact.

"Can you get us out of here?" Giles asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

There was no response from the blonde for almost a minute, just as Giles thought she was not going to respond at all she shook her head sightly.

"She's blocking me," was all she said her voice tight and forced though gritted teeth.

Giles sank back against the wall behind him beside Tara and glanced up at Faith and Spike. Faith was still pounding on the door, although she had begun using her fists rather as opposed to her entire body. With each strike of hard flesh against metal, Giles noticed that Tara jumped slightly as though the noise upset her.

"Faith, please stop," he said in a commanding tone.

His voice broke through to the pissed off Slayer only long enough for her to spin around and shout at Giles, "You sit there like a dummy if you want. I'm letting them know I'm not going down without a fight. They're going to have to come in here and-"

Faith paused when she saw the effect her harsh voice was having on Tara, still curled up tightly but now shaking slightly. She un-balled her fists and let them fall to her side, her shoulders slumped slightly.

"We all feel the same way, Faith." Giles said quietly.

Faith just nodded in response for she could not open her mouth for fear of letting out the sob she knew was building up in her throat. She collapsed back against the wall of the cell, her emotions clearly running high even if she were too upset and exhausted to put them into words. Her arms folded tightly across her chest as though to contain her sorrow. The four remained in silence for several minutes, Tara continuing to sit motionless in the corner although now allowing Giles to at least touch her shoulder awkwardly, Spike slowly paced the length of the small room liked a caged animal.

Faith finally uncrossed her arms and straightened up from her position leaning against the wall.

"With Ashley dead…that means all of the seals are destroyed," Faith breathed. "So where is this big bad, the Lord of Darkness that we failed to keep all locked up? I wanna at least get a piece of it before they kill me."

"We've already met her," Giles interrupted in a whisper as he examined a cracked lens in his glasses, he glanced up at his companions.

"Her?"

"Willow is the Lord of Darkness," Tara finally spoke in a bland, toneless voice. "As she has been all along."


	23. Echoes of History

**CHAPTER 23**  
** Echoes of History**

The walls of the narrow passage way seemed to be moving inwards, shrinking with each step she took. Willow knew she was looking for a door, but a door to what she did not know. The one thing she did know was that the barriers she had only just put in place in her mind were already breaking down and it would be unleashed once again. That terrible darkness that was lurking somewhere just behind her eyes was already prodding at the bonds which held it, seeking to find a way out. Just keeping focused required an immense amount of concentration…but try as she might Willow still felt as though she was drunk, stoned and criminally insane…wherever the door was, she had to get there fast.

Willow was dimly aware of a small presence just behind her and she thought she heard the presence say something but she passed it off as a figment of her tortured mind. She came to the door she knew she needed to go through and paused in front of it for a moment.

Reaching out with a shaking hand, Willow slid back the bolt on the door with a loud clang. As she forced open the door she could not for the life of her remember why she was even entering the room in the first place. Something moved out of the corner of her eye but Willow's mind was so addled by her internal struggle she did not make any attempt to deflect whatever it was. A split second later an iron hard fist crashed into the side of her face and she went sprawling, only dimly conscious as her body fell to the ground, the voices that followed sounded like mumbles, she could not pick out the words. Her hand was empty; she no longer held the sword.

Faith stood over the body of the person she had just struck, staring down at the now limp form.

"Holy fuck, it's Willow," Spike moved to stand at Faith's side.

"Yeah, I thought it would be one of those goons," Faith breathed in deeply as she stood over Willow's body with her eyes wide, it was as though she could not quite believe she had single-handedly and just with brute force managed to overwhelm the Lord of Darkness herself. She reached out and prodded Willow's cheek with the tip of her finger, there was no retaliation.

Giles left Tara's side to join the other two, he frowned. "She's powerful beyond our imaginations and yet you managed to hit her? It doesn't make any sense."

Tara appeared not to have noticed any of what had just transpired in the room, even though Willow's motionless body was in the same room, she did not blink.

"I don't give a fuck," Faith grunted, she had spied the fallen sword lying beside Willow and she now moved to claim it. "As soon as she comes around she's going to kill us all. I'm sure as hell not waiting."

Even as Faith was about to thrust the sword downwards into Willow's heart, a much smaller body with blonde hair practically fell through the door and over the motionless body. Faith instantly stopped the downward movement of the sword and drew it back behind her, away from a very much alive Ashley.

"Faith, no!" Ashley held out one hand towards the Slayer to keep her at bay.

"Ashley?" Faith whispered, blinking rapidly as though that would somehow make the apparition of the little girl disappear.

"Willow came to me before you got here…she explained everything," Ashley began, her words tumbling over each other as she struggled to blurt them out. "Faith, please don't hurt her!"

Faith reached out and laid one hand on Ashley's upper arm, grasping her firmly to discover that she was very much there in the flesh, and not a lifeless corpse on the ground. The fact that Ashley was alive did not change her opinion of the thing Ashley was now trying to protect. As far as Faith was concerned, Willow had to be eliminated.

"Ash, get away from that thing now!" Faith growled, trying to pry Ashley's arms apart with one hand while she held the knife with the other, "Giles, can you grab her? I need to finish this now before she comes around."

"No!" Ashley cried as Giles started towards her. "You can't kill Willow. Mom, help!"

Even with Ashley calling her, Tara did not respond. The same expression of incomprehension was frozen on her features, as though she did not believe anything of what was taking place before her eyes.

All of the adults in the room were still trying to deal with the fact that Ashley was breathing and talking in their midst, to ask them to take in what she was saying was a different story all together. While Ashley knew the truth of what had taken place earlier that day, the others could not see past a psychotic Willow, appearing to murder Ashley. Ashley could not find the words to explain herself despite the fact that the scene played very clearly in her mind.

_The floor and walls of her tiny cell were as cold as ice but Ashley sought the security of sitting in the farthest corner with her back to the wall, legs tucked up to her chest, arms wrapped tightly around them. However small a measure of protection this offered, it was all stripped away with the rattling of bolts and the sinister presence that swept through the open door. Ashley cringed away from her but she seemed to fill every nook and inch of the cell with the power that radiated outwards from her physical form. Although she did not want to stare at the woman who had killed her friends, she felt drawn to do so, for some reason she could not bring herself to shield her eyes as she desperately longed to do. _

_Willow had removed the full length coat she wore on the day she murdered Dawn and Matt but she was still clad from head to toe in black. Her legs were sheathed in tight black leather, showing plainly how much weight she had lost and ending with high black boots. She wore a black shirt which barely touched the top of her pants and was only held together with one button over her breasts. The shirt parted as Willow moved forward slightly, Ashley saw her ribs appearing sharply beneath the skin. Her face was still the same awful visage, although even paler, with more of the pulsing veins threading beneath her skin. One appeared to have burst, spreading out beneath the skin of her forehead like a dark stain. The skin surrounding her obsidian eyes was a bloody red. Her hair hung in even starker contrast to her skin, lank strands of midnight falling down around her face. _

_As she was forced to look at Willow, Ashley watched the bizarre play of emotions on the woman's face. There was none of the stony cold impassiveness she displayed when killing Dawn and Matt, instead she appeared to be struggling to keep herself under control. One moment a smile would be playing at the corners of her mouth and then a second later she could grimace as though in pain. Her fists were clenching and unclenching rapidly, just one of numerous body twitches she appeared to have difficulty controlling. _

"_What are you going to do with me?" Ashley ventured tremulously, growing somewhat bolder when Willow appeared not to be paying any attention to her at all and was staring at a spot above her on the wall. "Where is my mom? If she was here, everything would be okay and you wouldn't be all scary!"_

_Willow pressed a hand to her forehead as though she had an intense headache, squeezing her eyes shut. She continued to ignore Ashley. _

"_You killed Matt…and Dawn!" Ashley whispered in an accusatory tone as she hesitantly rose from her sitting position, her back still pressed against the wall as she rose to her feet. "I thought you were nice. Why?"_

_At that point Willow snapped, her eyes jerked open and they were focused directly on Ashley, boring a hole through her mind. Her lips were pressed in a tight line as though she were furious, Ashley immediately ceased talking. _

"_Just shut the fuck up!" Willow hissed. "It's hard enough trying to maintain control without your incessant yabbering!"_

_Ashley froze, trying to force herself through the wall behind her but it remained unyielding. Willow now had both hands pressed to her head, cradling it as though she were trying to stop it from exploding and throwing pieces of her brain in all directions. She collapsed to her knees, still clutching her head and rocking back and forth. Her bloodless lips parted with a slight whimper which gradually became louder under they were sharp cries of pain. While Ashley was still terrified of the person that knelt in front of her, she could feel her pain through the cries and she felt pity as well as terror. She felt sorry for the woman who had killed her friends…_

"_W-Willow?" she ventured quietly, her back leaving the wall behind her as she took a hesitant step forward, closer to Willow. "A-are you okay?"_

_There was no response; Willow remained in the same position, her rocking motions increasing in intensity with each cry. Ashley took another step forward and another until she was close enough to reach out and lay her hand on Willow's shoulder. She did not do it at once; she was still fighting the urge to make a dash through the open door that lay behind Willow, to escape from her presence. Eventually she extended her arm ever so slowly until she was poised to touch her. No sooner had her fingers lightly brushed the silk of Willow's shirt, she found herself swept up and thrown back against the wall. _

_In one swift movement Willow had gone from crying and rocking to standing and striding forward with her fingers wrapped around the girl's throat. She had to bend slightly to come face to face with Ashley, to stare directly into her eyes. Ashley's fearful breaths were coming hard and fast while Willow appeared not to breathe at all. _

_Just when Ashley thought Willow was going to snap her neck with a simple movement of her hand, she withdrew her fingers and stepped back, straightening to her full height. _

"_I'm sorry, Ash," she whispered in a truly remorseful tone. "Like I said…it's hard to maintain control."_

_She ducked her head and closed her eyes, arms hanging loosely by her side as she tried to bring everything into focus and keep the evil that flowed within her veins at bay. Willow knew she was failing and there was not much time left at all. _

_Ashley remained against the wall. "You're scaring me. Why are you being so mean?"_

_Willow did not open her eyes, maintaining her seemingly relaxed posture as she replied, "I'm sorry I scared you…but I'm going to have to get a whole lot scarier before this is over."_

_Ashley frowned, still not trusting Willow's latest change of personality. "You are pretty scary now."_

_Willow then opened her eyes, a small smile crossing her face as she looked up at Ashley. "Oh, I believe I can…and will."_

_For a moment it appeared to Ashley that this prospect pleased Willow immensely, her eyes danced with a terrible excitement…and as soon as it appeared it was gone once more, her eyes growing cold, her expression tortured. _

"_Matt and Dawn are alive okay. You'll see them soon but first I have to ask you to do something for me, something which will help us all get out of this alive and mean the end of those scary men," Willow said gently, her voice shaking slightly with effort. _

"_And then everything will be okay? I can see my Mom?" Ashley asked hopefully, further revived by the news about her friends. _

_Willow managed a nod, more a spasmodic jerk of her head. "I hope so."_

_This was all the convincing Ashley needed. "What do I need to do?"_

_Willow knelt once more, this time reaching out to place both her hands on Ashley's shoulders as though the girl might try and run away but in reality it was to give her a focal point with which to anchor and steady herself. _

_Ashley felt her skin crawling at Willow's touch, as though she were unclean and somehow transferring it through her touch. However, for a few moments Ashley thought she saw a flicker of green in those deathly black eyes…the tiniest flicker of the old Willow. It gave her hope to think that Officer Willow was still in there somewhere. _

"_I'm going to put an end to all of this. Those mean scary men that are trying to hurt us, Ash," Willow promised._

_Ashley made a face, her small nose wrinkling. "I hate them."_

"_I know…but I need to do something that will make them trust me beyond all doubt. I need to remove the last seal," Willow swallowed as Ashley tried to make sense of this. "Ash, I need to make it look like I've killed you and make it real enough for everyone to believe I've done it. I'm going to do it in front of Tara…in front of your Mom."_

"_Will it hurt?" was all Ashley asked. _

_Willow shook her head very firmly. "No Ash, you won't feel a thing…but I need you to look like you're scared and you can't say anything to your Mom."_

"_It won't be hard to be scared," Ashley replied honestly, she took a deep breath and squared her small shoulders. "I can help you."_

_Willow wished fervently she could give Ashley a reassuring smile but all she could manage was a slight grimace, she could not stop thinking about what she had to do "When your Mom gets here, which will be very soon I think. Ashley, I don't have much time, a few more hours…that's all…and then the old Willow you know won't be able to come back…ever."_

_Ashley felt tears well up in her eyes. "But I like Officer Willow and so does my Mom."_

_Her face twisted as though she was in pain, Willow squared her shoulders. "And she loved you both, Ash, but she's gone. She's dead."_

After a quick glance up at Faith to make sure the Slayer wasn't about to plunge the stolen sword into Willow as soon as she moved away from her, Ashley scrambled the short distance to her mother's side. She knelt in front of her and stared directly into her unseeing gaze. The blue eyes that she loved were not sparkling as usual but were dull and lifeless. Ashley placed a single hand on her mother's cheek and stroked the soft skin with her thumb.

"Mom…it's me," Ashley whispered. "I'm here, Willow's here…everything is going to be fine."

"Ash, I saw you die," Tara whispered disbelievingly. "I saw Willow kill you."

"She didn't…it was a trick. Willow planned it all…and now she needs your help," Ashley lifted the tone of her voice slightly. It was firm and confident, betraying the strength the small girl possessed, her mother's strength. She clearly needed to draw on every ounce of it now to bring her mother out of the waking trance she had slipped into. "Will you help her?"

"I-I don't want to help her," Tara whispered.

"She needs you Mom; Willow needs you!" Ashley shook her mother fiercely by the shoulders. "She needs you to bring her back!"

When Ashley stopped shaking Tara's shoulders her breath came in short gasps, indicating just how worked up she was. Tara finally blinked once, the single, simple movement seeming to wipe the film away that had built up in front of her eyes. When the lids lifted again, her eyes were no longer dull and lifeless but moist and full of emotion…sadness, terror…and more than anything, relief. Without further words she threw both her arms around her daughter's kneeling form, drawing her warm body firmly into her embrace. She shook with the release of all the pent up emotions she had suppressed. They were now coursing through her body as they were finally released in the form of tears and quiet sobs into her daughter's hair.

Tara could not let Ashley go, after the witnessing the most horrific sight a mother could see she did not even dare to dream that it might all have been part of someone's plan. She pressed her wet cheek against Ashley's hair, smelling that familiar smell she could never forget, feeling Ashley's heart beating strongly against her own chest.

"Mom, I'm real glad to see you too…but we need to help Willow," Ashley whispered in her Mom's ear.

"What am I supposed to do?" Tara asked as she slowly drew back from Ashley, finally bringing herself to stare at the spot where Willow lay motionless on her back, eyes still closed. Tara could not look away fast enough.

"I don't know, Mom, I just know that she was scared you would be too late to help her," Ashley said urgently, sensing her mother's reluctance to approach the fallen woman she stood and picked up her hand to help her to her feet.

To say that Tara was reluctant to approach Willow was something of an understatement. While Faith, Giles and Spike looked on, her daughter led her to Willow's side. Faith maintained her aggressive posture over Willow's body, the sword ready in her hands, a stony expression on her face as she stared from Tara to Willow. Once she was close enough to reach out and touch her, Tara bade Ashley stand back but not before giving her a reassuring squeeze.

Tara's entire body was trembling as she knelt at Willow's side, while previously she could not bring herself to look at her lover; she now was unable to draw her eyes away. The powerful and aggressive Willow-thing that had tormented her earlier, the one that had tried to rape her and had then so casually murdered her daughter, was nowhere to be seen. All she saw was a frail looking young woman who didn't look strong enough to stand. With her fingers continuing to tremble. Tara reached out and cupped Willow's cheek, almost jerking away at the feel of her clammy, ice-cold skin. Her entire body jumped when, without warning, Willow's hand shot out and ensnared her wrist in its icy grasp. Seconds later Willow's eyes opened and Tara found herself once again staring directly into those black depths.

In response to Willow's movement, Faith moved in one fluid motion and brought the sword forward into a downward position, ready to thrust in a split second.

"No," Tara lifted her free hand as a warning for Faith to stop, sensing no threat coming from Willow. "I'm here, Will, tell me how to help you."

Willow's cracked lips parted, they moved soundlessly for a few moments before she spoke in a harsh gravely whisper, "First…I need to show you."

"Show me what?"

Tara had no sooner spoken than Willow, the cell and everyone else in it seemed to deconstruct before her eyes, reduced into millions of tiny swirling particles. Then just as suddenly as it tore apart, it reformed into a reality that was altogether different. Different in the people she saw standing before her, different in her surroundings. Gone was the tiny cell, replaced by a much larger room with a high ceiling. In a sweeping glance of the room Tara took in the antique furnishings of solid polished wood all glowing dimly in the faint light of a lantern. It was at that point that she realised the furniture was not antique, it was she who was in another time, hundreds of years earlier than her own…and she was not alone. Standing next to the massive four-poster bed were two young women, Tara did a double take as she thought she were staring into a mirror. Tara blinked and realised that while the young woman standing opposite her was almost her identical twin, there were noticeable differences. Her view was blocked a moment later when the second woman stepped between her and her look alike, Tara stepped around both of them until she could see their faces. Her look alike was gently cupping the cheek of a young woman who looked very much like her own Willow, complete with a head of black hair. However, her face was smooth, unblemished and healthy with a rosy twinge to both her cheeks. Neither woman acknowledged Tara's presence…it was as though she were not there at all.

"Do not deny me, Mary," the black-haired woman whispered to her companion, leaning in to her touch, "If you feel half the love for me that I do for you then you must understand how unbearable it is to maintain any sort of distance between us."

"I did not come here tonight to deny you," Mary leaned in to deposit a tender kiss on her companion's lips, "I am here with you Amelia because despite what people are saying."

Tara saw Amelia's green eyes narrow and she asked defiantly, "What are people saying?"

Mary wiped away her frown with another kiss, this time on her forehead. "You know full well what people are saying. Their words haunt every step you take. They warn me to keep my distance from you, most are afraid of what you will become."

"And you, Mary?" Amelia asked, her eyes demanding an answer. "Are you afraid of me?"

She shook her head in response. "I am not afraid of you. I believe that I can help you overcome the darkness inside of you."

"How?"

Mary's expression softened at the catch in Amelia's voice, as though she were on the edge of tears. She took one step forward to bring their bodies into contact, drawing Amelia even closer with a gentle pressure on her hip. When their bodies met, dress silks crushed between them, the temperature in the room instantly went up several degrees. There were no more tender kisses; instead their lips met fiercely, as two people who had desired each other for too long and could hold out no longer.

Tara felt an awkward wrench in her gut, not just because she was intruding in on a private moment but because it was as though she were an observer of her own love, forced to watch knowing that she may never experience the same act of love again.

Reality shifted again, reforming into another place, one that was cold and dark…one that reminded her of the house which Willow had lured her to. The same two young women stood before her, although she was struck by the change that had been brought about in Amelia. The Amelia that now stood before Mary was transformed into the same creature Willow had become, her skin, eyes…everything had changed as the Darkness had corrupted her in the same way it had corrupted Willow. Tara looked between them, saw the anguished expression on Mary's face and knew that she had not be able to help her love in the way that she had promised.

"Do not fret dear, Mary," Amelia wore a small smile as she circled the other woman. "It is better this way…I can protect us, all those who spoke ill of me, whoever wished me harm, I am strong enough to defeat them all. In fact, I feel strong enough to do just about anything I want."

Tara watched Mary's furtive movements as she put distance between herself and Amelia. It was as though she were waiting for something, biding her time. With each step Mary took, Amelia followed her as though she were a huntress stalking her prey.

"You know that's not r-right," Mary stuttered, glancing awkwardly over her shoulder.

"Right?" Amelia laughed. "Of course it's not right. Nothing truly great is ever right!"

"I don't believe that."

"You wouldn't would you, Mary," Amelia hissed, angered by Mary's stoic tone. "Look at you, perfect little Mary Wroth…always thinking she's right and only ever using her powers for good like the saint she is!"

"I am no saint, you know that," Mary closed her eyes as Amelia took one more step toward her.

"You weren't last night, not with your legs spread for me, hungrily wanting more!" Amelia's voice rose until she was shouting, her arms spread wide as though she were waiting for Mary to return to her embrace. "You knew you'd failed after all these months of trying and yet you came to me…you're mine Mary, you always will be!"

Mary's eyes suddenly opened and she straightened her back, no longer cowed by Amelia's tone. "You do not own me!"

The room was suddenly filled with six more people. Surprised, Tara backed away into a corner as the newcomers moved to encircle Amelia, whispered words on each of their lips. Tara instantly recognised the spell for what it was. It was a binding spell. As she ran her eyes over each of the cloaked figures standing around Mary and Amelia she also knew that these were the original seals. Their names came unbidden into her mind as she looked at each of their faces - John Suckling, Margaret Cavendish, Elizabeth Beaumont, Dorothy Jansen, Richard Hobbes, and Francis Massinger. Each bore the intense expression of one who had absolute faith in what they were doing, that they were sincere in their convictions - all except Mary. While she had moved to join their circle around Amelia, her face was broken, tears fell down her cheeks.

Amelia just laughed once more. "Are you all fools? I cannot be contained by a simple binding spell!"

"Look where you are standing demon!" Richard Hobbes was a large man, and he spoke in a commanding tone.

It was only then that Amelia took notice of where her feet lay, where Mary had been leading her. She swirled on the spot, in the centre of an elaborate chalk circle and her smile instantly disappeared, replaced by a sneer of hatred as she whirled on Mary. She pointed a trembling finger in the direction of her lover,

"You planned this all along?"

Mary shook her head. "Not all along…only when it became apparent you were beyond help!"

Francis silenced Mary with a curt grunt. "She was always beyond help!"

"This is not the time, Francis!" John Suckling interrupted. "We must work as one to bind her or we will not be able to hold her."

Seven voices were raised as one and gradually the chalk circle at Amelia's feet began to glow, dimly at first until it became an intense white light. The circle of light left the ground on which it had originally been drawn, rising up over Amelia's feet and continuing to rise until it encircled her waist. Trapped, she threw back her head and screamed with primal rage, her dark eyes flashing with an awesome power as she fought to break free of the binding spell.

Sweat broke out on the faces of each of the encircling coven members as they struggled to maintain the spell. Their voices became more urgent, blending into one chant that soared around them, filling the room with a power that shook the very foundations on which they stood.

A furious Amelia was swept off her feet and rendered horizontal, the coven formed up on either side with Mary taking up the rear, just behind Amelia's head.

The chanting continued as they moved Amelia's rigid body through a door that opened of its own accord. When they did stop, Amelia was hovering above a dark stone coffin, bound securely in the white light that had once been the chalk circle. The coven arranged themselves around the coffin and each of the seven lifted their arms. They then brought their arms down in unison, as they did Amelia's body descended into the coffin.

The binding spell had weakened slightly to the point where the bound woman could move slightly, it was clear however that her tiny movements were disproportionate to the effort expended given the intense expression on her face, full of fear and rage. She was unable to look away from the seven faces above her, all bearing down on her with their blank stares…judgemental each and every one of them. Who were they to bind a power such as her? Amelia tilted her chin slightly as she tried to wrestle herself free, she managed to see the face standing directly above her head, the one face that was not solemn in duty but rather was streaked with great, wet tears as she watched her lover bound and helpless, being buried alive in the dark coffin.

Time shifted around Tara, she sensed she had moved forward mere hours from the last scene she had witnessed. She was now outside in the night air, instantly recognised the façade of the house in which the Society had them all trapped, although it appeared new and splendid as opposed to the rundown state in which she had first seen it. Mary Wroth was huddled on the steps, John Suckling standing on the landing just behind her with an expression of finality on his face.

"Do not think of what you did as betraying Amelia, Mary," John said, his voice firm as though he were convinced of the worthiness of his statement. "The Amelia you knew and loved died a long time ago. Grieve for her not the thing we buried tonight."

Mary let out a deep breath that she had obviously been holding for some time. She did not look up at John, instead continuing to stare out into the darkness.

"She was never a thing, John," Mary said quietly. "And I love her still."

"Well, it is of no consequence," he said awkwardly. "The darkness within her is bound as securely as anyone could manage. We're as safe as we could ever be. The world is a safer place."

"It's bound yes," Mary stood, turning to meet John's challenging gaze. "However we will not be around to bind it forever."

John frowned. "The responsibility will shift to our descendants. You know that as well as I. Mary, do you doubt what we have done?"

Mary shook her head. "No I do not. I just think we could have done more. I plan to ensure that the darkness can never rise again."

John's hand shot out and grabbed Mary by the shoulder, his fingers digging into her flesh so hard she winced before he relaxed. "What are you planning?"

Mary jerked herself free and with her head held high she started down the steps into the darkness that surrounded the house. John watched her leave with a mixture of disbelief and anger on his face.

"Mary!" he called. "Where on earth are you going?"

She did not look back but said simply, "To the ends of the earth."

When the scene changed once more, Tara immediately felt cold, chilled to the bone in the few layers of clothing she wore. She found herself in a cave lit by a few orbs of white light; in front of her was a single slab of stone serving as a stone table. Tara turned and saw Mary Wroth approaching, walking towards her along what appeared to be a tunnel of sorts; although where it began she could not see. The blonde woman wore a scarlet dyed cape settled on her shoulders, drawn closed to combat against the cold. She held in both hands a sword, the very same one that Faith had taken from Willow when she entered their cell, the same one she had apparently used to kill Ashley.

Mary's solemn procession ended next to the table, where she laid the sword tenderly on the stone and knelt in front of it, her cape settling around her. She reached beneath her cloak and took out a small object which hung from a chain on her neck. When she had lifted the chain over her head, she held it in front of her. She tenderly opened the two halves of the locket and Tara moved closer so she could confirm what it was lay inside. It was as she had suspected - a tiny portrait of Amelia.

"It is a given that the seals will fail," Mary whispered.

Tara took a step back, it seemed as though the kneeling woman were addressing someone as she spoke, although she could not see or sense another person in the cave.

"They're false; the seals have nothing to do with binding that darkness. Although you know that already don't you, Tara."

When Mary Wroth turned and looked directly at her, Tara stumbled backwards, almost falling over with shock as she found herself staring directly into her own eyes. Throughout each of the episodes she had presumed herself to be an invisible witness to the events unfolding before her eyes. With the manner in which Mary was staring directly into her eyes, she knew this was no longer the case.

"The other seals didn't need to die," Tara whispered, shaking her head at the thought of the children who had been murdered by the Society.

Kneeling in front of her, Mary too shook her head sadly. "In war…there are always sacrifices. It was necessary in order to conceal the truth from those who would seek to harness and use that power for vile means."

"The Society?"

"If that is their name in your time…then yes," Mary nodded, she managed a small, sad smile as she reminisced about something in her mind. "I was the one who drew the circle to bind Amelia, I'm only speaking the truth when I say the others did not possess half my talent. They could not recognise it for what it was. I tried, but it became apparent to me that Amelia was not strong enough to defeat that darkness that had begun to corrupt her. Once its seed was planted…there was no turning back for her. I needed to find someone else who was stronger."

"And your spell searched through time and found Willow," Tara added.

Mary nodded in affirmation once again. "It was as though destiny herself were guiding me. She was destined to be the Guardian of the Seventh Seal. The events that came to pass would still fit the prophecy and maintain the appearance of truth to convince the Society. I'm sorry that it has impacted on your life and cost you so dearly Tara Maclay, but I think you will understand."

Tara's face reflected all the fear and sadness that had settled on her shoulders these past months, she nodded, feeling the kinship that she and Mary Wroth shared. She was staring at the other woman when she noticed that tears were beginning to flow, welling at the corner of her eyes before falling in rivulets down her cheeks, dropping on the scarlet rode she wore.

"And I am so dreadfully sorry," Mary croaked in the midst of a choked sob.

Tara frowned, slightly unnerved by Mary's heart-wrenching sobs racking her frame as she knelt against the stone table. "Why, you only did what was necessary."

Mary shook her head rapidly, dashing away her tears only to find more falling. "I wanted to save her so badly that I did not consider that what I was doing was wrong. Tara, I came to realise that there is no way to stop it once it has entered you. Little by little, piece by piece, it will eat you alive until there is nothing left of the human being you once were. No one can stop it, it can only be bound…and it is too late for even that now."

Tara was floored by Mary's final revelation, especially after she had begun to foster the slightest amount of hope that her Willow could come back from this. She knew the creature that she had seen Willow become was vile indeed, only the very basest of creatures would hurt those they claimed to love in such a way. Tara remembered with shivers of revulsion the way she had felt when Willow attacked her, trying to take so brutally what should only be given in love. Then Tara relived the sick expression of pleasure that Willow had on her face when she murdered Ashley.

Yet Ashley was not dead…and the Willow that she was kneeling beside in her own time was so frail and helpless. Tara shook her head stubbornly. Mary Wroth could admit defeat…but she was not Mary Wroth, she was Tara Maclay…and more than anything she could not bring herself to believe that all she and her friends had done was in vain.

"I think you're wrong," Tara whispered.

"Just go," Mary whispered even as she turned her attention back to the locket and sword in front of her. "Perhaps together you may have a chance…but if you fail she will destroy everything."

Tara felt the hot sting of tears in her eyes at the thought of Mary Wroth dying alone in that freezing cave but even as she did she also felt as though she were being jerked forward by an invisible presence in the darkness. The cold was gone and she was back in the cell with the rest of the gang, staring not into her own eyes but into the dark black pools that had replaced Willow's once beautiful eyes. In staring into those emotionless orbs, the certainly of conviction that Tara had felt in refuting Mary Wroth's prediction was unravelled and she began to doubt.

However, the fear that gripped her was arrested when she noticed that something was happening to Willow's eyes. The black was now shot through with small slivers of emerald green that sparkled with light. Tara reached out one trembling hand and touched Willow's face, her thumb brushing the papery white skin of her cheek. Willow responded by leaning into the touch and lifting her hand to lay it atop Tara's.

Tara jumped slightly at the contact; Willow's hand was like ice.

"I'm sorry," Willow whispered when she saw Tara's reaction.

Tara shifted her grip and enfolded Willow's hand in hers, squeezing it tightly to restore some warmth with the small contact. "I-It's alright."

The two of them knelt without speaking for some moments, Tara simply holding Willow's hand and watching the play of green on black in her eyes, as though Willow was waging a war within her body. Without warning, any last residues of tension that were working to hold them apart vanished and Willow threw herself forward into Tara's arms with a groan of relief. Tara let out a small sob and returned the embrace, crushing Willow against her chest until she had to relax for fear of breaking the smaller woman.

"I love you, Willow Rosenberg!" Tara whispered fiercely into Willow's dark hair. "You have to promise you won't leave me."

Willow felt the absolutely sincerity of Tara's words, the words she needed to hear and she heard her own voice whisper in return, "I promise." A measure of clarity return to her thoughts, a clarity she had not felt for some time. Finally she could see the two branches of the path in front of her. She knew exactly which one she had to take at any cost. She lingered in Tara's warm embrace, just the feel and smell of her lover worked to restore her mind and senses, bringing them to a point where she felt strong enough to face these last obstacles she knew she had to overcome.

It was with reluctance then that she drew away from Tara, knowing full well that she had little time left. As she pulled back, she noticed the strange expression on Tara's face. The blonde then reached out and ran her fingers through her hair, drawing a handful of it towards her. Willow glanced down and saw the hair that Tara held in her hand was as red as she ever remembered her hair being. Willow stared at the locks for a few moments, just as enraptured as Tara, until without warning she jerked backwards.

As the hair fell from her hand Tara watched it almost instantly become black once more. She tried to reach out to Willow again but she responded by rising to her feet. Tara followed suit, a concerned expression on her face as she watched Willow become strangely distant once more.

"Will…" she began; needing to reach out to her again to reassure herself that the redhead could be transformed back into her old self with just a touch. The green had already disappeared from her eyes.

"Please don't, Tara," Willow took another step backwards as she knew exactly what Tara wanted. "This is hard enough already. If I don't finish this now it's all over. You all have to leave, take the kids and leave. Matt and Dawn are safe, you'll find them holed up in a cave not far from here…I couldn't use more power to send them further away or he would have felt it and my hand would have been revealed, that is your task as I have mine."

"Willow Rosenberg," Tara felt like stamping her foot. "If you think for one minute that I am leaving you while you go off and try to end this on your own you have got another thing coming! I'm coming with you!"

Willow almost smiled. "I know why Willow loves you so much."

Tara felt as though she had suddenly been wrenched in two, Willow's voice was that same distant tone she had used earlier that day. Whatever tender moment had just passed, it would not be repeated until everything was over, Willow was struggling…but time was running out.

"I'm coming with you!" Tara repeated insistently.

"How?" Willow asked angrily, dark eyes flashing. "What can you do? You would only hasten my demise!"

"I need to stand at your side, Will!" Tara pleaded desperately.

"And I need to leave," Willow ignored Tara's plea, she made a gesture with her hand and the sword left Faith's hands despite the Slayer's firm grip. "You may all feel a little weird; I have a little illusion to work before I send you to join the children."

* * *

Bob was immensely pleased with what he had managed to achieve in just a short month, granted, he was understandably piqued at having been fooled into thinking the destruction of all seven seals was necessary to gain the release of his Lord but in the wider scheme of things it did not matter. After all, killing babies and other innocents was what evil things did best.

What did matter was that his Lord was back in the flesh, her restoration proven when she ran the little brat through in front of her lover and friends. Bob's thin lips curved into an approximation of a smile just thinking about it…it had indeed been a delicious moment, one to savour for all time. He was provided with a further pleasant sight when he walked into the cell that had held the last of the rebellious wretches. He found his Lord, bloody sword in hand, surveying the carnage she had obviously just created.

Her four friends were splayed across the floor of the cell, each one had been brutally slashed apart, their life's blood probably completely drained before they even hit the ground. The walls were covered in great sprays of blood, rivers of it running out the door and pooling at his feet. Bob glanced down at the body closest to his Lord's feet and saw the sightless eyes of her former lover staring up at him, he responded with a smirk.

His Lord turned and graced him with a small smile of her own. "I should have made it a public spectacle but I couldn't help myself."

"No, no, it is your privilege my lord…I will send men to clean up the mess and dispose of their bodies at once," Bob dipped his head forward.

"No need," she flicked her wrist and the bodies and blood instantly disappeared, leaving the cell empty. "I am done here...walk with me."

Willow left the cell, as she moved down the passage Bob fell in behind her like the lackey he was, trotting along like a little puppy.

"You showed no remorse at the sight of your daughter lying dead in front of you," Willow mused. "Was she truly so worthless to you?"

"You know she was my daughter?" Bob asked before remembering just who he was talking to. "Of course you do…you know all. At one stage she was of great value to me, I married her mother knowing full well she was the current seal. Upon her mother's death I thought she would fall easily into my schemes but her confounded grandmother ruined everything by bringing her powers to the surface."

As Bob talked Willow allowed him to drift ahead of her, she hung back slightly. A lone Society member came toward them in the passage; he stopped and bowed deeply at the sight of Willow and Bob together. While Bob did not spare the man a second glance and continued talking, Willow brought the bloody sword in her hand up in one sharp movement. It plunged into the man's gut and he fell to the ground. Bob continued walking, oblivious to the man twitching in a pool of blood behind him.

"So you needed a seal you could manipulate, one that would be easier to control and eventually sacrifice when the time was right," Willow commented smoothly, referring to Ashley who had never possessed magical powers like her mother.

"Yes!" Bob hissed, even as Willow cut down a second man they passed, slicing his throat open with one quick swing of her blade. "But Aurelia got to her first, casting that damned Heart's Fire spell. She was lost to me for years. I am ashamed to speak of these failures in front of you my Lord. I hope you do not think less of me."

Willow smirked as she followed him up a flight of stairs to the level above. "Oh, I don't think that's possible."

A goon was bowed low as she emerged on the landing just behind Bob; she seized him by the back of the neck and sent him flying face first down the stairs, hearing the satisfying crack of his neck as he hit the floor at the bottom. Bob did not turn around, still immersed in a world of his own making.

"We must make plans my Lord," he announced, slamming his fist into his palm decisively. "While I know you possess immense powers…I think we should start slowly, world domination takes time. I have drawn up a list of key people to win over; I should think very little persuasion will be needed once they have seen a demonstration of your power. Simple minds are easy to corrupt."

As Bob continued to drone on, he did not notice that Willow was no longer following him. She had stepped into an adjoining room where several Society henchmen were immediately surprised to find themselves in the presence of their Lord. They were further surprised when she began cutting them down, her blade flashing amongst them to sever arteries and limbs. In was over in a matter of seconds and Willow only need to increase her pace briefly to catch up with Bob. He was still talking; she casually wiped her blade on a curtain as she passed. She watched the back of Bob's head move as he talked with great animation, her eyes narrowing with disgust at the thought of what he had down to his own daughter. He had made Tara's life hell…and before she ended all of this, she was going to make him pay.

"You know what, Bob." Willow emphasised the ordinariness of the name. "I really don't like you."

Bob stopped walking and turned to face his Lord with a perplexed expression on his face at her sudden statement. He found her with a wide smirk on her face. "My Lord?"

"And I'm really tired of this whole Lord of Darkness deal. It's ruining my love life…and that's something I just can't live with."

Bob was still struggling to process her sudden change of focus. "You mean…"

Willow watched an arc of crackling blue light dance across her now outstretched palm and fingers. "I'm afraid so… and I would play nice and give you time for a head start…but I really, really don't like you."

* * *

Tara hit the ground hard but managed to retain her tight hold on the weight in her arms. Still holding her daughter protectively, she glanced around to see that Willow had managed to send all four of them safely from the mansion and into a non-descript cave just as she had said she would. Faith was already on her feet, Spike had landed awkwardly on a rock and was swearing like a sailor and Giles was on his back groaning rather theatrically.

Even as she managed to stand and help Ashley to her feet as well, Tara buckled under the weight of two fast moving shapes wrapping themselves around her. She glanced down to see Matt and Dawn. After a minute of enthusiastic embracing the two teenagers pulled back and Tara saw that, although they were rather dirty, both were relatively unscathed.

"Willow said you'd be here soon," Dawn said in a grateful voice. "Which is just as well because there's only so much of his company I can take."

She turned and looked pointedly at Matt who simply shrugged. "I didn't do anything."

"I'm just glad to see that you two are safe," Tara added.

"Well, it was pretty freaky there for a while with Willow going all psycho, vaporising Matt right in front of me, it was kinda traumatic," Dawn said as she accepted a hug from Ashley.

"You were traumatised?" Matt scoffed. "At least she actually told you what the hell she was doing!"

Giles had finally stopped groaning and had hauled himself to his feet with the aid of a nearby rock. He removed his glasses and found that the one good lens now had a crack to match the other.

"I'm not sure of our course of action from here," Giles admitted. "I think I know what Willow was planning but whether or not she can carry it out alone-"

"She won't be alone," Tara interrupted. "I'm going right back down there."

Faith snorted indignantly. "You're seriously tripping if you think for one minute I'm letting you go down there alone!"

Tara rounded on Faith, eyes blazing. "Faith, I'm serious, whatever happens, you, Spike and Giles have to stay here with the kids. I'm going alone!"

Giles removed his glasses and gave a small cough to indicate that he too held some weight of authority. However as he was about to open his mouth to add his opinion, no doubt in support of Faith, Tara turned towards him and silence him with a single glare. Tara's glare clearly said that she meant business and that Giles would come off far worse if he did try and press matters. He shrugged at Faith as though he had done his best.

"Giles! Grow a god damn backbone!" Faith stamped her foot in the Englishman's direction and pointed an accusatory finger in Tara's direction. "Less than an hour ago she was a traumatised, paralytic wreck huddled in a corner, you can't let her go!"

"This traumatised wreck is one exceptionally powerful witch," Tara responded. "So unless you can pull some hidden magical powers out of your arse I would suggest shutting up!"

"Whatever," Faith muttered with a shrug, clearly a little put off by Tara's sudden outburst.

Tara turned her attention away from her best friend and focused on the small blonde girl standing quietly, the apple of her eye and the most wonderful daughter a woman could hope for. She knelt at Ashley's height and tried to keep any sign of sadness from creeping into her expression.

"Ash…" Tara began as she folded her daughter into one last embrace.

"I know how much you love me, Mom," Ashley sighed, returning the hug. "You don't need to say it. Just go help Officer Willow."

Tara stepped back and straightened, a small nod was all the promise that she could make. As she made her way out of the cave she knew full well that Faith would follow, it was a given. She made a gesture with her hand and mumbled a simple spell that none save she could hear. Behind her, the entrance to the cave was sealed with an invisible barrier of air. Faith was left to beat her fists against it in a futile rage as she watched Tara walk back towards the mansion alone.

* * *

Before Bob could even think about making the first move, Willow sprang into action, picking him up by the scruff of his robe and sending him flying into the wall, his body slammed into the surface, tearing it apart in a shower of wood and plaster. He barely paused in extracting himself, directing the fallen rubble in Willow's direction with a thrust of his hands. She waved it aside with a flick of her wrist and surged forward, grappling him to the floor.

They fought, Bob throwing everything in his arsenal of tricks against Willow but she was one step ahead of him at every move. There was nothing he could do to slow her fury. Around them the already dilapidated passages and rooms of the mansion were destroyed, plaster ceilings falling down on their heads, entire walls ripped apart and windows shattering in showers of shards. Any Society henchmen who were foolish enough to intrude on their duel were ripped apart with absolutely no thought whatsoever. Any who were smart enough, fled the scene.

"Okay, I'm getting really bored," Willow eventually announced as she brushed off the last of Bob's feeble spells. "I think I know just the place to put you."

Bob huddled back against the wall behind him, watching as Willow slammed her fist into the floor beneath them. With one awesome crack it gave way and they both fell downwards. Willow landing on her feet and Bob falling in a crumpled heap. When he was able to look around he realised that she had opened the floor up directly above Amelia's tomb, he was lying in front of the gaping dark entrance, a horrible moaning sound emerging from within. He looked back to the woman who was advancing on him but all he could do was raise his hands above his head as though to ward off a simple blow.

Willow threw the sword to one side and picked up his body as though he weighed virtually nothing, lifting it over her head as though she were going to crack him open like an egg.

Tara knew exactly where in the mansion Willow was, she just had to follow the trail of destruction, the dead Society members, the torn walls and finally the missing floor that once lay directly above the tomb. She could see Willow holding the Bob above her head, the Society leader appearing frail and stick like and not at all the powerful force he had once been. Tara threw herself into the hole to join Willow, cushioning her fall with a pocket of air. She landed softly and saw Willow's face twitch slightly when she saw her, as though there were some part that was relieved to see her.

Willow threw Bob to the floor where he lay motionless before rounding on the woman who had been her lover in another life, her hand jerked out and she grabbed Tara by the neck, throwing her back against the wall.

Tara almost sobbed when she saw the further changes that had manifested in Willow's appearance, to the point of rendering her inhuman. Her obsidian eyes were blood rimmed, almost as though she had been weeping blood, several bloody streaks were dried on her cheeks. Her skin was dry and cracked, the black veins hideously distended beneath the skin. The lips that moved as she spoke were black and crusted.

"I told you there was nothing you could do," Willow's voice was terrifying in that it was completely bland and toneless. "Yet you saw fit to come to my aid?"

"I needed to be here!" Tara gasped, trying futilely to pry Willow's vice-like fingers from around her neck.

"Why? Your Willow isn't here anymore," Willow replied. "Your sacrifice is meaningless."

Even as her gaze was transfixed on the creature pinning her to the wall, Tara saw movement just over her shoulder. She realised it was Bob, struggling to his feet. She saw the crazed expression in his eyes as his fumbling fingers grasped the hilt of Willow's sword. Despite his condition, he moved fast, so fast that Tara had only time to utter a choked warning when Bob brought the sword thrusting forward, directing all his malice and wrath into one last desperate act.

As the sword plunged into Willow's body, Tara was immediately dropped and she fell hard to the floor. She lifted her head to see Willow stumble against the wall, trying to steady herself as she reached around to remove the sword embedded in her body. Even as Tara watched Bob's lips move to form a spell, she was on her feet, throwing him backwards with a single curt word. His stick like body flew through the air, straight towards the open door of the tomb. He arrested his movement with his limbs catching on either side of the tomb's doorway and hung there, Tara's spell driving him backwards with only his frail strength keeping him from being forced into the tomb.

As he laughed a bubble of blood burst forth from his lips. "You would raise your magic against your own father?"

The angry denunciation of that statement never left Tara's lips as almost instantly she knew him to be speaking the truth. Throughout their struggle against the Society she had not realised, it was only now when they all stood on the brink that she recognised the man who had once been Robert Maclay. In that moment of recognition also came the realisation that he was responsible for all the suffering she had experienced throughout her life.

"You ordered Roy Epstein to rape me when I was seventeen, what kind of sick bastard does that to his own daughter?" she spat, a lifetime's worth of rage boiling inside her body.

"The kind that has a higher purpose!" Robert Maclay replied manically, his frame sagging beneath the forces pressing against him. "You could have been a part of all of this! Instead you chose to run. Now look where you've ended up, your crazed girlfriend is about to destroy the known world. It must feel awful to know you made the wrong decision!"

"I haven't made a wrong decision my entire life," Tara said, she found herself calming as she moved towards her father. She watched impassively as his fingers began slipping, he was on the brink of falling backward into the tomb. "I'm about to make another right one now."

She raised her leg and planted her foot as hard as she could in the middle of Bob's sagging chest. He immediately lost his grip and fell backwards, his body crashing into the stone coffin. Tara made a sweeping gesture with her hands and the heavy door crashed into place, sealing her father inside. She knew he was too weak to move it and so turned her attention to Willow. She found her standing, having watched the entire exchange from a short distance, the bloody sword now held loosely in the palm of her hand.

"A-are y-you alright?" Tara asked, hesitantly taking a few steps forward.

Willow looked from Tara to the sword, running a thumb along the edge of the blade. "It's not good enough."

"What's not good enough, Will?"

Her head jerked upwards and she threw the sword to the floor. "It can't destroy me. I need something more powerful."

Tara felt a sudden gust of wind whip her hair over her face; it grew stronger to the point where she was having trouble staying on her feet. She was blown backwards against the wall and to the floor. The only way she could try and approach Willow once more was crawling on her hands and knees. Willow remained standing as though she could not feel the wind whipping around her body.

"Willow, what are you doing?" Tara yelled, barely able to hear herself over the roar of the wind.

"Fire consumes," Willow replied as she raised her hands so they were level with her shoulders as though she were summoning something.

"It's over!" Tara screamed, still vainly trying to struggle against the wind to reach her lover. "Will, it's over, we've won."

Willow turned her head slightly so she could look at Tara, still keeping the awesome powers at her fingertips under control. When she spoke it was inside Tara's head, coming through clearly despite the noise.

"_It won't be over until the darkness is destroyed forever."_

"Will…no!"

Tara found herself gripped with the same unsettling sensation that Willow had used to send her to the cave not an hour earlier, without warning she found herself soaring, away from Willow and the house altogether with Willow's last words to her ringing in her head. _"I'm sorry."_

Willow knew she should feel loss or something resembling remotely resembling an emotion as she had just seen Tara for the last time. The small part of 'Willow' that was still left knew that what she was doing would save not only her lover, but lives everywhere, in not only the present but the future as well.

That last small parcel of humanity drained from Willow as though something had drawn it from with a syringe, all that remained was her single-minded intention to end the chaos. She could feel the darkness inside of her trying to tear her body apart, atom by atom, it had awareness outside of her own and it knew she was determined to destroy it along with herself.

Willow could feel Bob's power inside the tomb, hammering against the stone as he fought for a way out. There would be no way out for him. Willow threw out her arms wide, head tilted back towards the sky above, her body was buffeted by the forces swirling around her but she kept her footing. She summoned heat, the wind growing hotter and hotter with each second until flames appeared, licking at the walls of the house. Willow remained untouched at the centre of what fast became a raging inferno, swirling around herself and the tomb like a tornado of fire.

It was immense, burning so hot it began to reduce the tomb in front of her to molten rock, everything else had already been destroyed. Willow could feel the dark force within her protesting at the heat even though she herself could not feel it, it was in pain, leeching through every pore of her body in an attempt to escape the heat and tearing her apart in the process.

"It's over," Willow whispered, a split second later her physical form exploded in a searing white light but not before she was aware that every fraction of the Darkness had been completely and utterly destroyed in the maelstrom of fire.

* * *

It took some time for Tara to pick herself up from the ground where Willow had thrown her. Even as she cleared her head, she was already taking awkward, lurching steps back towards the mansion. Despite Willow's warning, she had every intention of remaining at her side no matter what happened, the possibility that she would die alongside her lingered at the back of her mind but she could only concentrate on the immediate moment and not the awful prospect of leaving Ashley without a mother.

Without warning, Tara's reality seemed to shift again, although this time it was nothing like the almost peaceful transitions she had experienced earlier. Instead, an explosion of light and flames blinded her, the air was sucked from her lungs and she found herself hurled backwards for the second time in less than a minute. She hit the ground with a sickening thud and was unable to rise as a wave of heat poured over her, Tara was forced to shield her head and face with her arms as flying pieces of debris struck her body, some ripping through her clothing and into skin.

The chaos continued to rain down on Tara's prone form even as realisation dawned as to what had happened. Her fears were confirmed as soon as she managed to struggle into a sitting position to gaze on the scene in front of her. Tara's lips parted with utter disbelief.

The entire mansion had been consumed in one colossal explosion, it hadn't just been reduced to a fiercely burning shell, it was simply no more than a blackened crater. With no matter left to feed on, most of the fire had died already.

Tara scrambled to her feet and crossed the short distance to the crater in desperation. She glanced down and found the black debris was little more than a crystalline powder that was already cooling. Everything within the house had been almost vaporised. No one could have possibly survived.

"How dare you make yourself into a martyr, Willow Rosenberg!" Tara hissed, clenching her fists and refusing to capitulate to grief.

She stepped out into the crater, hearing the crystals crunch beneath her shoes with each step. Tara could only think about being as close to Willow as possible, close to whatever part of her still remained.

Something stood out sharply against the black debris, something that caused Tara to draw in a breath so quickly she choked on it. Tara was still choking as she lurched forward again. As she drew closer, she allowed herself to accept the fact that what she was seeing was not an illusion.

It was Willow.

Willow was lying on her back in a shallow depression, eyes closed, arms tucked neatly at her side. She was as naked as the day she had been born and her own bright red hair fanned out around her head. There was no trace of the black veins and paper pale skin from the last time Tara had seen her, her skin bore a healthy pink glow.

"Willow…oh goddess, Will, can you hear me?" Tara threw herself into the rubble at Willow's side, her hands immediately reaching out to touch her body to confirm what her eyes were seeing.

She breathed a deep sigh of relief when she found Willow's body warm and indeed unblemished as it appeared to her eyes. Her gaze was transfixed on the steady rise and fall of Willow's chest which indicated that she was very much alive. The red lips parted and a soft moan emerged.

"I'm not dead," a small voice croaked. "Although I think I know what death feels like."

Willow's eyes remained closed, although she squeezed them a little tighter as she attempted to move her limbs. She managed a slight jerk of all four limbs to confirm they were still attached. Next she tried to pry open her eyelids, they refused to budge at first before they slowly opened to reveal the most beautiful sight she had ever seen.

Tara was kneeling in the rubble beside her, leaning over her with one hand on either side of her shoulders. Firelight from somewhere nearby illuminated her golden hair and face, given the illusion of a halo surrounding her head. Willow smiled, it was a fitting image.

"Am I still all veiny?" was the question which weighed most heavily on her mind.

Tara couldn't help herself and she smirked in response, fingers reaching out to brush Willow's smooth cheek. "No Will, you're not all veiny…you're back to your old self…as perfect as you ever were."

"Oh god," Willow whispered, her smile disappeared and she squeezed her eyes shut once more as though she was in immense pain.

"What is it, sweetie?" Tara's voice was heavy with concern as she gently swept her hands down over Willow's red locks before bringing them to rest cupping her cheeks.

"I just realised I don't have any clothes on," Willow mumbled as a hot red flush crept into her cheeks.


	24. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

Willow drew a deep breath before she was able to step in front of the mirror and take a long, hard look at herself. As she did, she immediately wrinkled her nose at the sight her reflection, completely unsure whether she looked gorgeous or daft. She smoothed her hands nervous over the pearly white gown and straightened the thin straps even though they were already sitting perfectly.

"Detective Rosenberg in a dress, Buffy would have a field day with this," Willow whispered to herself. At the mention of her partner and best friend, she felt hot tears stab at her eyes. "Grrr, can't cry, will ruin make-up!"

She studied herself again. The make-up was subtle, just a light smattering of colour at the appropriate points and a little around her eyes to 'make them pop' so someone had told her. Willow had never thought she would ever wear such a glamorous dress, but she had to admit that she almost looked pretty. It was also amazing what a well chosen bra could do.

_Fuck, Rosenberg, whoever thought you actually had tits! _Willow smiled. It was precisely the sort of thing that Buffy would have said had she been there.

With a flood of tears narrowly averted, Willow turned in a circle she could check that the gown flattered her arse instead of making it look like the rear of a truck. Satisfied, she faced the mirror again and lightly smoothed her hair, second guessing her decision to leave it straight as loose as opposed to having it pinned up. As Willow agonized over this vital detail she caught a glimpse of something odd beneath the corsage she wore on her wrist. She paused, wondering whether she was imagining things before holding her hand out in front of her.

Her nervous energy was replaced by fear as she jerked the flowers aside to see the veins moving down over her forearm and wrist pulsing black, they continued to flow downwards over the back of her hand. Willow turned her hand over, palm upward and watched the black spread up each of her fingers.

"Oh god," she whispered, unable to tear her gaze away.

"Did you honestly think it would be that easy, Willow?"

Willow squeezed her eyes shut. She knew that he couldn't possibly be standing there in the same room with her. However his voice had sounded as though he were right next to her. She heard his gravely breath and even smelt a strange foul odour that had not been present in the room just a moment ago.

"Nothing's there," Willow whispered, willing the hallucination to go away.

"Of course I'm here," he let out a light chuckle. "I have to walk my daughter down the aisle."

Summoning up all her courage, Willow opened her eyes and turned to face him. The room was empty save for the remnants of make-up and flowers scattered across tables. She could not relax, her body remaining tightly strung. Willow then felt fingers dig into her shoulder from the opposite direction and she froze. The pressure of the grip increased gently, trying to get her to turn around.

"It was nothing! I swear I've got it under control!" Willow yelped as she spun.

"Will?" Faith ventured slowly, half heartedly wondering whether Willow had completely lost her mind.

Willow tore her gaze urgently from Faith to her hand. She stared down at the back of her hand and it was exactly as it should be, pale flesh stared back at her, a few freckles were all that marred the soft skin there…and red-blooded veins pulsed beneath the skin

"Um…I'm fine," Willow breathed a deep sigh of relief. "Just got a case of the jitters - you know how it is."

Faith gave Willow an 'are you serious' look. "No, I don't know how it is…but I know the woman you're marrying, and I can understand the nerves. It's hard marrying someone who's practically perfect in every way."

Willow examined Faith's face but found her nothing but serious. "I know how much Tara means to you, Faith and I want to assure you-"

"Hey, I know I've had my doubts about you in the past," Faith interrupted before Willow could repeat what she had promised so often over the past months.

"And for good reason," Willow managed to quip as she gradually felt her tension ease.

"Yeah," Faith nodded heartily in agreement. "But I've decided that you are one tough little shit…and you'd die for Tara and Ash. You almost did die for all of us."

Willow ducked her head uncomfortably, even several months after the events had passed and they were all fully healed physically, it still pained her to think about it.

"Hey Red, there's something I've been dying to ask you, I know it's a little inappropriate and all but hey…just how close did you come…to losing yourself and killing us all?" Faith asked quietly.

"Tara told me I shouldn't have been able to fight it at all…once it entered me I mean," Willow glanced in the direction of the garden where the assembled wedding guests were no doubt waiting for her; she couldn't quite believe the turn her life had taken. "Mary had to entomb her love in that awful coffin, effectively killing the body that was Amelia and leaving the darkness waiting to claim me when it was time. Amelia was beyond even the redemption that comes through love."

Faith reached out and laid her hand on Willow's arm. "But you weren't…did Tara offer you any explanation as to why?"

"There's no rhyme or reason to it," Willow whispered. "Somehow I knew our love was stronger than the darkness."

Faith's eyebrows rose and her mouth twisted wryly at the rather rapt expression that passed over Willow's face. "You know you're going to make me vomit spouting that fucking crap."

Willow broke out of her reverie and grinned. "Sorry."

Faith slapped her hard on the back. "Let's go get you two idiots hitched eh?"

* * *

"Come here Mrs Rosenberg-Maclay," no sooner had the door closed to their honeymoon suite; Tara had her hands around Willow's waist, drawing their bodies close together.

They met with the sound of the soft rustling of Tara's dress as it was crushed between their bodies and a gentle sigh that emerging from Tara when their lips met. The kiss was gentle. Almost hesitant as though both were scared they were not doing it just right. The light, exploratory kisses were followed by an increased pressure, lips melding together and flesh grazing in the sweetest of touches.

Tara pulled back slightly to remind herself just how breathtaking her wife really was, as her eyes roamed over Willow's face and her hands over Willow's body, she lost herself in the thoughts of many more such nights to come, not wedding nights of course…just nights of their naked bodies entwined following lazy or furious love-making, any kind, Tara didn't care, she just wanted to revel in the fact that she and Willow belonged to one another.

Willow could see the anticipation in Tara's eyes; they were shining with excitement at the prospect of an entire night spent completely alone, an entire night of celebrating their love and re-discovering one another's bodies. Willow tried to keep the grimace that she felt building up inside her from appearing on her face, just the thought of making love to Tara brought memories crashing down atop her, memories they had both tried to work through over the past months. It was only now that Willow realised she had not dealt with her guilt and anger over what she had tried to do to Tara, no matter how many times her blonde lover forgave her she could still not forgive herself for letting it happen. Willow noticed Tara moving in for another kiss and she turned her head slightly so she only grazed her cheek.

"Good gracious," Willow evaded Tara's lips as they searched out her own and glanced at the bed that lay beside her. "I don't know if I can do this in a bed…do you think we can go outside and find a tree?"

Tara laughed lightly as she remembered taking Willow fast and rough in the forest outside the cabin just before their world was torn apart and descended into complete chaos. While she was genuinely amused at Willow's quip, she also saw straight through the humour for the uncertainty it betrayed. They had made love only once, the frantic, almost desperate coupling in the forest, complete with the bark scraping against the tender skin on Willow's arse and the dirt beneath her own feet as she thrust against her. She had nearly collapsed from exhaustion before she felt Willow climax. Even so, the act had been a passionate expression of the love they felt for one another…unlike the one that took place deep in the bowels of the Society's headquarters.

As Tara came to this realisation that Willow was struggling within herself, Willow drew free from their light embrace and sat on the edge of the bed. Her head bowed slightly, eyes closed.

Tara joined her immediately, lifting her hands to cup Willow's face, not forcing conversation…enough words had already passed between them. Together they had made the decision to wait to resume their physical relationship until their wedding night but Tara had always been half-expecting Willow to carry the memory with her, like a barrier.

"Will," Tara whispered gently, stroking Willow's cheeks with her thumbs as she cupped her face. "Will?"

Willow finally opened her eyes to see the small smile on Tara's face. The blonde leaned forward until their foreheads were pressed together, noses nuzzling ever so slightly. She felt Tara's warm breath falling gently across her lips in a soothing manner. Tara's hands moved from cupping her face to brushing her hair back behind her ear and then she enfolded her in an embrace. Her arms were loosely but securely holding Willow, hands resting in the small of her back. The newlyweds sat silently on the edge of the bed for some minutes, with the only sound being their combined breathing.

"Tara, I'm scared," Willow was the first to break the silence, her admission coming out in one quick breath that betrayed just how scared she really was.

Tara did not respond verbally, instead she rose to her feet, her arms sliding from Willow's body in one long lingering touch. As Willow remained sitting on the edge of the bed, watching her, Tara crossed the room to switch the light off.

The room was thrown into almost complete darkness and for a moment Willow could see nothing. Then, after her eyes had adjusted to what little light there was, she saw Tara had moved again to stand a few feet in front of her, her arms disappearing behind her to reach the fastenings on her dress.

With some difficulty, Tara managed to undo her wedding dress so it slipped from her shoulders in one smooth movement. She saw Willow's lips part slightly as she watched her stand there in just her underclothes. With deliberate movements, Tara unclasped her bra, it slipped off and she let it fall to her feet. She knew Willow was watching the rise and fall of her breasts that came with each breath, breaths which came faster with each passing second. Slowly she removed her underwear, keeping her eyes locked on Willow's even as she did.

Willow could hear nothing but the blood pounding in her ears when Tara stood before her stark naked, her gorgeous body like shining marble in the weak moonlight that filtered through the gaps in the curtains. She felt somewhat voyeuristic as her eyes roamed hungrily over that flesh, devouring every depression and curve with her eyes. From the graceful, flowing lines of Tara's neck down to her ample and perfect breasts with their nipples thrust towards her. Willow continued to look downwards, her eyes able to explore where her hands were too afraid to go, over the plane of her stomach, curves of her hips and to the apex at the top of her lithe legs. When Tara moved she almost felt like asking her to stop and stay still just a little longer but she held off, watching as the blonde moved around her, circling the bed as though it and Willow were her prey. Willow moved with her so she could keep the naked blonde in view. Tara stopped on the other side of the bed and with slow movements, climbed atop it to lay down in the centre, within touching distance for Willow.

The redhead let out the breath she had been holding as Tara settled back against the bed beneath her naked body, her arms resting on either side of her, head lightly propped up so she could meet her gaze. She knew that Tara was offering herself without restrictions or barriers; there was nothing to hide her body from her hungry gaze. Willow also realised that her fear had gradually subsided with Tara's movements until, as she sat next to her on the bed, she felt nothing except an overwhelming combination of love and desire. It required an immense amount of control for her to stand and remove her own wedding outfit at the same relaxed pace that Tara had managed. She failed miserably, eventually tangling herself while removing her stockings which resulted in an extremely ungraceful thud. Willow recovered with a smile, the last few items of her clothing disappeared from her body without further incident. She moved to the bed with goose bumps of anticipation pricking at her skin.

The mattress sank slightly beneath her weight as she moved on all fours, crawling the short distance to Tara's side, she then lay on her side along the length of Tara's body, skin touching at all possible points, her breasts and stomach pressed against Tara's arm, Tara's fingers brushing her pubic hair. She slipped one leg up over Tara's body. What she was not touching, she explored with a trembling hand, first tracing her arms, stomach, tops of her thighs, exploring these swaths of pale skin before turning her attention to Tara's breasts. Willow thoroughly acquainted herself with the magnificent mounds of flesh that lay before her with their rosy nipples standing at attention. Throughout her gentle ministrations she listened to Tara's increasingly hoarse breathing as the intoxicating sound that it was, enjoying her quiet gasps as she tweaked her nipples or reached down to circle her fingers just on the inside of her thighs.

"Oh goddess Will, if you don't stop your teasing I'll explode!" Tara suddenly gasped; with a strong tug she dragged Willow's body across and atop her own, thrusting an insistent thigh between Willow's.

Willow understood the message to mean the gentle touching period was well and truly over and her fingers dug into Tara's flesh, kneading her arse roughly as she mounted her fully, forcing Tara's thighs apart with her body. As her hips rocked forward in a rhythmic motion to grind against Tara's sex, Willow sought out Tara's lips with her own and resumed their kissing, no longer tender and hesitant but confident, almost bruising with intensity. Their tongues fought a wet battle, punctuated only by slight gasps from Tara as Willow caressed her breasts, rolling the nipples between her fingers. She felt the heat rising from between Tara's legs and knew that she was more than ready. Willow continued to grind her pelvis forward against Tara's sex, but added her hand, at first just her palm cupping Tara's thrusting mound with her fingers resting against the folds covering the warmth below. Tara responded by parting her legs further, lifting them and wrapping them around Willow's back. Another gasp from Tara escaped their kiss when Willow slipped two fingers between the folds of skin. A thrill coursed through Willow's body at the soaking wetness she encountered. The knowledge that her beautiful wife was so hot for her touch brought a small smile to her face, even as she continued kissing her, even as their bodies continued to grind against one another.

The kiss was broken only so Willow could dip down and take Tara's breasts into her mouth, she moved from one to the other, taking as much in as she could or just flicking her tongue lightly over the nipples. As she was doing so, her fingers lightly brushed Tara's clit and she felt her entire body jolt beneath her. Growing increasingly bold, she increased the pressure she was applying to the hard nub of pressure, her own body thrusting in time with each stroke.

Tara thrashed gently beneath the body sliding above, lifting her head slightly to kiss Willow's forehead as she was bent over her breasts. She felt a thin trickle of sweat sliding between her breasts and when her hands roamed Willow's back she found a thing coating of sweat there too. Both women strained against one another, revelling in the simple things like touch, smell and taste.

"Are you ready for me?" Willow whispered in Tara's ear, her voice hoarse.

Tara nodded urgently. "Please!"

Willow shifted slightly, moving her hand so she could slide her fingers upwards, burying two deep inside Tara. She felt yet another shiver of pleasure at the feel of her skin directly against the moist passage of Tara's cunt. With her fingers buried as deeply as possible, her palm resting against Tara's clit, Willow paused and dipped down for a languorous kiss.

She drew back over slightly so their lips were still touching when she spoke in the barest of whispers, "I didn't think I could ever love one person so much that it physically hurt…until I met you."

Tara stroked Willow's cheek with the soft pads of her fingers, a slight catch to her voice. "I-I feel as though everything in my life was just a precursor to our meeting…as though I…I don't know….as though I w-wasn't whole."

"I know exactly what you mean," Willow breathed, claiming Tara's full lips yet again, savouring the feel of the soft flesh moulding around her own.

When she was trying to draw away Tara nipped her lip lightly with her teeth. "Fuck me Will…before you really are physically hurt."

Willow obliged, withdrawing her fingers slowly before thrusting them forward firmly with the weight of her whole body behind the thrust. She slid one arm around Tara's back and drew the blonde against her chest so tightly so she could almost feel each of the sensations that her movements sent coursing through Tara's body

Tara threw out her arms as she back arched up towards Willow's straining body; she urgently snatched a handful of cotton sheet in each hand, gripping tightly as though to keep herself anchored. She was close…her eyes wide open, staring but not seeing the darkness that surrounded them; instead she saw infinite possibilities in the power she and Willow shared. It was intense, Tara closed her eyes, somewhere she heard someone cry out sharply. When a second cry followed she knew the sounds came from her own throat although she could no sooner control them than she could tell Willow to stop. She felt everything, the sweat running between Willow's breasts, the fast breaths from Willow's mouth that fell on her neck, and especially Willow moving inside her. Each thrust of her fingers and scrape of her palm brought Tara closer but at the same time she felt as though she would never reach it. Time stood still as she was poised on the brink between pleasurable agony and rapture.

The whole world shrunk to the size of a bed and the two women moving upon it were the only people alive.

Willow knew Tara was coming, not because of the cries coming from Tara's throat but because of the release she too felt about to break inside of her, when she came, Tara came. She silenced the cries coming from both her own throat and Tara's by finding Tara's lips as she thrashed in the darkness, the urgent kiss that followed was awkward and messy as they climaxed together. As Willow felt Tara's cunt spasm around her fingers, her own orgasm was simultaneous, matching Tara's pulse for pulse. She felt a warmth flow down over her wrist and forearm at the same time she felt her own juices flow to coat the inside of her thighs. It was wet and sticky, both women coated in sweat as well as their own juices but it was also perfect. Willow managed one last thrust before, with a gasp, she collapsed against Tara's body and lay breathing heavily against Tara's breasts.

It was several minutes later before Willow was able to shift her weight and gently withdraw her fingers from inside Tara. The two women instinctively shifted into a spooning position with Willow nestled securely against Tara's back.

As Willow lay in the darkness cradling Tara's sweat slicked body against her own she found herself letting loose a small, breathy laugh. She felt Tara shifted slightly and knew the blonde was looking up at her with a wry smile of her own as she puzzled over what it was she was laughing about.

"Have you ever been so happy you think you might pop?" Willow asked, depositing a quick kiss on Tara's forehead.

"Okay Will - you were good…but not that good!" Tara retorted playfully.

Willow sat up with an indignant expression on her face, complete with one of her most perfect pouts, she found the soft flesh of Tara's belly and began to tickle it mercilessly, sending the blonde into peals of laughter even as she tried to wriggle away.

"Come on, I'm that good!" Willow protested, finally letting up just as they were both about to fall off the bed into an ungraceful heap on the floor.

She saw Tara's moonlit eyes shining up at her before she issued a challenge that was sure to guarantee that neither of them would be sleeping a wink on their wedding night.

"Prove it."

**FIN**


End file.
